


Just a Little Drink

by SakuraMinamino



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-02-15 03:05:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 24
Words: 101,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2213400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SakuraMinamino/pseuds/SakuraMinamino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Naruto has been in love with Sasuke for 5 years. A year ago, Naruto confessed. Sasuke, who often says he hates "homos", said nothing to spare his feelings. Kakashi seeing his depressed student one night, gives him a suspicious bottle. Unable to throw it away, Naruto hides the bottle. While drinking with Sasuke, the raven finds and drinks it. First few chapters based off Tyrant Who Falls in Love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Only the first chapter is in first person. I warn now, this follows yaoi logic. There will be rape as the first few chapters is based off the Tyrant who Falls in Love. If you ever read a yaoi manga, they handle rape really differently than it would be expected in real life.

_I love you._

How long has it been since I let those words accidentally slip? I think it was about one year ago today. I don't know why I said it to him back then. Maybe because I was too angry to think at the time. You see, Sasuke-teme hates "homos" as he calls them, and every time he says that word, I want to punch him in the face then kiss the daylights out of him. I kept my secret well. For four years almost. Even though he was a cold bastard to most people, he always kind of had a soft spot for me; at least I like to think so. When we were kids, we fought all the time, but it was almost a ritual. We'd yell and let our fists fly at one another then we'd smile, well he'd smirk, and offer his fist. I'd return the sentiment and put my fist out as well, bumping them together. Those were some of the happiest memories I ever had as a child. Then everything changed. He left the village . . . and I couldn't stop him. I was forced to recognize my own weakness. Even after he left, I didn't realize that I loved him. I had been obsessed with a girl named Sakura. I don't know why. I think it was so I could fit in, or maybe it was because she was in love with Sasuke too, and I didn't like that and misinterpreted it being jealous of Sasuke having her attention instead of being jealous because he had another's attention. But I do remember the exact moment I knew I loved him.

Sasuke had just attacked the Kage Summit. I had gone to the summit to beg the Raikage to forgive him and spare his life. I remember the dull throb from my injuries and the cold snow seeping through my clothing as I bowed, my head to the cold ground as I pleaded for Sasuke's life to be spared. The Raikage ignored my plea. Everything went downhill from there. Sakura came to the inn I was staying at to profess her love for me and to tell me to forget about finding Sasuke. That he was too far gone to save. That was the moment I realized I didn't want her love and that I was finding Sasuke for myself, not because of the promise I made to her when we were kids to bring him back for her. Then Gaara came up to me and told me what Sasuke did. He too told me to give up on Sasuke. Then Sai told me that Sakura was going to kill Sasuke herself and that all of the Konoha 11 had agreed to this plan. I couldn't accept any of it. The friends that had supported my endeavors over the past two years had pulled out their support right from under me. No. Was the only thing I could think as I tried to assimilate everything that had been going on around me. Then I thought about my life without Sasuke and the panic set in. _No No No No No. Not Sasuke. Not Sasuke. This can't be real. Sasuke can't be killed._ I couldn't breathe. I gasped for air, but no matter how many breaths I took, no air would go into my lungs. My chest hurt and I grasped weakly at my heart. My mind was filled with thoughts of Sasuke and how he might not be able to get out of this, that I was going to lose him. It wasn't long until I caused myself to pass out, not noticing Kakashi and Yamato shout out to me in worry as I fell. They didn't exist at the time. I even forgot they had been there at all. However, I was still not released from the pain even in unconsciousness as dreams of a still and unmoving, unbreathing Sasuke in my arms plagued me.

When I woke from the panic attack, I laid there while Yamato watched over me to get my thoughts together. I knew that I loved him. There was no doubt about it. The thought of Sasuke dying was the worst thing that could ever happen. It was my duty to stop him. With some creativity, I escaped Yamato's watchful eye and confronted Sasuke. I saved Sakura before Sasuke could kill her. Now that I reflect on that moment, a part (a very small part) of me wishes I let her die. Less competition that way. . . Just a tiny bit. I would never actually let her die. She is my friend. At least, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have. Sasuke . . . when I laid eyes on him, I could tell how lost he was. Just on the borderline of insanity as he smiled darkly at me. He was no longer the Sasuke I knew. I knew that, but what could I say. I just recently realized I loved the stupid bastard. I swore to him that I would fight him and that when we fought, we would die together.

That final battle between us pretty much destroyed a large portion of the forest and took down a few mountains in the process. We really did almost die together. I was in a coma for about 3 days. Sasuke, almost a month. I talked to him after that, you know while he couldn't run away because he was tied down to his hospital bed with ANBU standing at the exits. We discussed Itachi, the village, and Obito. After hours of arguing, mostly done by me since Sasuke-teme can't answer questions with more than one syllable at a time, I finally convinced him to come home.

Being the village hero, Jiraiya's student, and Minato's son does have some advantages. I convinced the Fifth Hokage to let Sasuke return to the village. As expected, Sasuke was not received well. The same glares I got as a child were now reserved for him. He pretended he didn't care. He just shrugged them off or returned the glares, but as Sasuke started returning to the way he was before leaving the village, it started weighing on him more. I hung around him all the time trying to get his attention to keep him happy. His smart ass remarks would rile me up and his famous smirk would appear for a second. My heart always skipped a beat . . . then I would try to pick a fight with him.

It took Sasuke two years to be allowed to become a registered Konoha shinobi again and walk around without an army of hidden ANBU following him, not that he was suppose to know that he was being followed. He quickly became ANBU soon after and was put into my squad; mostly because I was the only one able to take him down if he went rogue again and because I begged and whined for it though I will deny that if anyone asked me. I was captain, but I sometimes pretended that Sasuke was in charge. Made him feel important, and it gave a sense of nostalgia when he would show off, and I looked like an idiot.

We were on a mission when I said those words to him. Camp was set up and Sasuke and I were on watch while Sakura and Sai slept by the fire. It had been four years since my realization that I was in love with him at this point. I kept it silent to everyone but Kakashi who had figured it out about the time I had my panic attack. The sky was full of stars, the water was shining in the moonlight, and Sasuke looked deep in thought - which is why I pushed him into the lake. Man was he pissed! He grabbed my arm and pulled me in after him. I am pretty sure he was trying to drown me, but I managed to escape. He gave up his murder attempt quickly enough. It gave me time to take in how breathtaking he was. His hair matted against his face, water rolling down his pale skin, clothes clinging to his body. My mouth went dry, and I couldn't think about anything other than how beautiful he was that moment. That's when he said it. "Oi, Dobe, stop staring at me like some homo." I felt my eyebrow tick. _He did not just say what I think he said._

"Do you have something against gay people?" I asked in a very calm voice. I was quite proud of myself that I was able to keep in control.

"They're disgusting and perverted. They should all die."

I snapped. I struck him so hard across the face he flew a several meters and back into the lake. "I don't know why I love a bastard like you!" The words slipped out so easily. I meant to take that secret to the grave. I watched his eyes widen in shock and for once it took him a long time to come up with something to say.

"What did you say?" I almost missed it. He said it so quietly.

"I said I love you." I whispered back, but I knew he heard it. Before he could say anything, I went back to wake up Sai to take over for me.

He avoided me for a week before he started bossing me around again. He pretended nothing happened. I knew it was his way of quietly rejecting me and keeping our friendship, but it still hurt. He even started dating a few girls after that. Sakura and Ino were two of them.

So here we are, a year later and nothing had changed between us. It was suppose to be another night with Sasuke-teme, drinking and insulting each other like always, but then that stupid Kakashi had to intervene. . .


	2. The Bottle

It was night when they returned from their one week mission. ANBUs usually liked coming back at night. It was easier to stay hidden. In Sasuke's case, he liked staying away from the judging eyes of the villagers. That's why Naruto went the extra mile to make sure they came back well after the sun went down, but before all the bars closed. When Naruto's team crossed the gate into the village, tension rolled off most of the team members shoulders as collective sighs and murmurs of relief escaped the weary shinobi. It had been a difficult mission and most wanted a warm shower to scrub off the blood that always seemed to find its way under things: nails, clothes, hair, everything. The only person who didn't relax was Sasuke. Being in the village always made him tense these days.

"Hey, Sasuke-teme, you okay heading home by yourself?" Naruto removed his fox mask waiting for Sasuke to do the same. The bastard kept his mask on. The raven didn't like removing his mask outside his home. He didn't want anyone to know he was a part of the ANBU. When he was ANBU, he got respect because no one knew each other's identity outside of your team. Everyone went by code names. The moment the mask came off, all bets were off and some still were adamant about not being ready to forgive the raven. "Come on Teme, almost everyone's asleep." Sasuke continued to make no attempts to remove it, his arms crossed casually as if in silent protest to the request. A long dragged out sigh escaped Naruto's lips, and he threw an arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

"Remove your hand before I cut it off." Sasuke's words lacked bite, so it was obvious he didn't mean it, but it didn't mean the ice prince liked being touched either.

"Make me." Sasuke growled at Naruto's taunting words. As Sasuke went to remove the offending appendage himself, Naruto took off the raven's mask and quickly retreated before Sasuke could react.

"Give it back." Dark eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Only if you come over to drink with me tomorrow night." There was slight hesitation on Sasuke's part. "Look Teme, you're always cooped up in your apartment on the outskirts of town. You barely talk to anyone outside your flings, and you're wearing your mask like some safety blanket." A quiet rebuttal about the mask statement was the only objection Naruto got about his accusations. "You haven't drank with me in a couple weeks. It will be fun. I'll buy the beer."

Sasuke shifted from foot to foot. It was amusing to the blonde watching him be so uncomfortable. Finally and reluctantly, Sasuke agreed. A broad grin spread on Naruto's face, unable to hide how pleased he was at his invitation being accepted. He was partially afraid he would say no. "See you tomorrow Teme." He turned on his heel and started to walk away.

"Wait, my mask." It was the slight desperation in his voice that made Naruto stop and look back. Sasuke had taken a step toward Naruto with his hand slightly outstretched. The village had worn Sasuke down more than he had originally thought. The blonde didn't like that. Sasuke was a proud man. It was what he liked about the raven even if it meant his rival was a pain in the ass most of the time because of it. The Uchiha shouldn't have to endure those hateful eyes of the villagers as he had once done because of some mistake a lonely child had made.

Naruto almost laughed. At twelve years old, he thought he was so grown up, and in a sense, he was. He had to make adult decisions, take lives, and put his life on the line on a frequent basis, but it was the maturity and experience that young shinobi lacked, and it took practice to control one's emotions, especially at an age where hormones influenced decisions more than anyone would like to admit.

"I'll give it back when you come over okay." A warm smile. "Sleep well Teme."

Sasuke muttered something unintelligible, and Naruto could only chuckle as he walked down the street towards Ichiraku.

Drinking seemed to be his new hobby anytime he was off, and Teuchi would always keep a small stash just for his favorite customer. Naruto could always rely on the old man to make sure he didn't drink too much, and if he somehow managed to get himself too drunk to walk home safely, a call would be made to one of his teammates to take him home.

Ayame greeted him at the stand. It was nice to see a familiar face after a long mission. It also gave him someone to talk to who was closer to his age, granted she probably only put up with him because of the absurd amount of ramen that he could eat and the fact that she had a not so secret crush on Kakashi. She always blushed whenever the older man walked by. Naruto had no idea if she knew he was gay or not, but he didn't want to burst her bubble as she always lent him an ear when it came to his concerns about Sasuke. Teuchi would always add a few comments as he served him another bottle of liquor, but the old man's ideas were either old fashioned or really out there.

"Welcome back Naruto-kun. Pork miso ramen?" The woman smiled at him as he sat down at the counter.

"No thanks, Ayame-chan." A long worn out sigh escaped him. The clink of glass hitting wood caught his attention as a bottle of sake was put in front of him. "Uchiha trouble again?" the old man asked setting down some snacks to go with the alcohol.

"Yeah. I think the village is starting to get to him. He keeps asking for more and more dangerous missions."

"A shinobi death is what he's after you mean."

"I don't think he's suicidal." The blonde took a swing from the bottle, relishing the liquid burning down his throat. "I think he just wants to prove himself or maybe he just wants to stay out of the village."

"Is he still saying that crap about gays." The old man grumbled, cleaning up the last few bowls from previous customers.

"Not to my face as often as he used to. I think he thinks I'll change, or I'm deceiving myself or something." Naruto took a long swing, emptying the bottle and skipping the glass all together.

"I think he protests too much." Kakashi took a seat beside him, book in hand. It always boggled Naruto's mind that Kakashi could read his mentor's books so many times. There was a reason why Jiraiya's books weren't best sellers. The only one Naruto thought was worth reading was Jiraiya's first book The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. He read it sometimes when he was at home in bed. It always reminded him of his late mentor, Nagato, and the promises he made to them.

"What are you talking about Kakashi-sensei?" The ANBU captain's eyes narrowed as his sensei helped himself to the sake.

"I'm saying that the only reason he protests so much is because he might be unsure of himself. His only example of another homosexual is Orochimaru. He knows he's not like him so he believes all gays are like Orochimaru and he is not like them."

"That's very close minded. Even for that bastard," the blonde muttered bitterly.

"You know how easily Sasuke can be influenced more than anyone." Naruto didn't comment. He did know.

"What do you think I should do then?" Before Kakashi could pour himself another glass, Naruto snatched the bottle away and chugged it down.

Unfazed by the other's actions, Kakashi set a small brown bottle on the table. "Give him this."

"What is that?" the blonde slurred slightly, eyeing the mysterious bottle.

"This will help you get things started between you two. Start your love life."

A laugh escaped the younger man. "Like some sort of stupid love potion."

"More like something that will make him defenseless." Kakashi looked at his book then.

Naruto back straightened now very uncomfortable.

"Wait! Are you talking about one of those date rape drugs?" old man Teuchi cut in.

"Wh-what on earth are you doing with something like that?!" Ayame stuttered in surprise and perhaps some disappointment evident in her voice.

"It's not quite the same drug as that, and I'm sure if Naruto chose to use it he would use it wisely." Naruto felt his sensei stand up, preparing to leave. He was sure there was some hidden message in the statement, but he was too tired to try to figure out his teacher's riddles tonight.

"I won't use it," he said softly. "I couldn't do that to the teme."

"You don't have to. Throw it away if you want. It is just an option." Kakashi disappeared in a puff of smoke. Figures the bastard wouldn't even show up in person to give him something like this. It seemed underhanded somehow.

"You won't really use it, will you Naruto-kun?" Ayame's eyes were still on the bottle, and he couldn't blame her. It was kind of out of the blue for Kakashi to hand him something like this.

"Of course not. I would never disrespect the teme like that." For a moment, his hands trembled. Whether it was from the alcohol or the fact that he was reaching out for something so dangerous, he didn't know. His fingers wrapped around the bottle and quickly pocketed it. "I'll get rid of this. Don't worry." His gaze switched to the old man. "Old man, how much do I owe ya."

"It's on the house. Seems you got enough to worry about." After a few quick goodbyes, Naruto was on his way.

A few intersections away, Naruto found a trash can. He reached for the bottle about to throw it away, but he hesitated. He had no plans to use the bottle, but it did seem like a waste to throw it out. Plus, he couldn't throw something like this in a public trash can. What if some kid got a hold of it? Sighing, he put it back into his pocket and walked to his apartment.

It was a nice apartment. Not as nice as Sasuke's, but it was livable. How Sasuke managed to get such a nice apartment he had no idea. There was a slight possibility that Sasuke's old apartment was outside the village enough that it didn't get totally destroyed in Pein's attack. Damn Uchiha's always had a lot of freaking money. Still, his apartment was comfortable enough for one person. The villagers even went the extra mile to build him a small sitting room when they rebuilt his apartment, but it was still pretty much one room that consisted of a space for his bed, a half kitchen, a toilet, a very tiny shower, and enough extra space for a table and a small desk.

The blonde shruged out of his ANBU gear and placed his mask and the teme's mask on his dresser. He needed a shower. His skin felt grimy, and he knew he had blood in his hair. He was surprised Ayame didn't say anything about it. He must have looked tired enough that she took pity on him. Eager for a shower, Naruto stuffed the dark bottle behind some books and scrolls on his bookcase before hurrying to take a hot shower and forgetting about it.


	3. Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto makes a bad life decision because of alcohol and Kyuubi influence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is rape in this chapter. If anyone has read Tyrant who Fell in Love (you might know it by its Japanese name but I don't remember it), then you know what is to come. Do not be all offended on how the situation is resolved. It will be resolved as most yaoi manga resolve things.

"Sasuke-teme!" Sasuke hadn't even had the chance to raise his hand to knock before the door swung open revealing the smiling blonde in the doorway. "Glad you could make it."

"Hn," was the ravens only reply as he pushed passed him into the small apartment. "You bought the good beer right? None of that cheap stuff you used to buy."

"Of course. I'm not that cheap." Naruto watched his friend carefully, noticing his apparent uneasiness as the man subtly tried to look for his mask. He couldn't help but sigh. "I'll give it back once you leave. Give me some credit."

"You don't have to reassure me. I'm not a kid."

"Well then I shouldn't have to blackmail you to have a drink with me once in a while. I mean, we're still friends right?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," was his gruff reply.

Naruto laughed nervously. "Of course." Nice way to avoid the question though, he thought bitterly. The blonde grabbed Sasuke's hand, pulling him to the kotatsu where the large amount of beer sat innocently.

Sasuke eloquently raised an eyebrow at the piece of furniture. "A kotatsu?"

"Well it's been a bit cold lately, and it belonged to Ero-sennin." Naruto smiled, but sadness lingered in his clear blue eyes. "Tsunade gave me his few belongings after he died." He sat down, pulling the futon over his legs. "I thought it would be fun to bring it out a bit early."

Sasuke joined him on the opposite side. As the blonde reached for the first can of beer, he heard Sasuke murmur softly. "Sorry." Further explanation wasn't needed. Naruto knew exactly what he meant. A small smile slipped onto Naruto's tanned face. Maybe they could fix things between from them after all.

+

"Dammit, usuratonkachi, how do you not buy enough beer?" Sasuke was drunk, but he was an eloquent drunk, at least that's what Naruto liked to believe. The raven's cheeks were flushed pink, his dark eyes more lively than the past few months, and a smile pulled at the corner of his lips every now and then. He didn't stumble over his words when he was drunk nor did he show any outward signs of his motor skills being compromised, which was opposite of Naruto who tended to trip over everything when he was drunk. No, if someone didn't know Sasuke, they wouldn't know he was even drunk. He would have to be completely sloshed in order to show any weakness.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going to get some more. Chill out will you," the blonde muttered; a bit agitated he had to go out into the cool night air. Summer was in its last weeks and the nights were already getting cold. As he put on his shoes, he watched Sasuke sway a bit as he drank the last bit of his beer. Being ANBU, drinking was essential. You never knew when you needed to blend into the population or drink with the enemy in infiltration missions. You had to be able to drink and still keep your wits. For Sasuke to be starting to sway . . . well Naruto wouldn't be letting him go home tonight, that was for sure. "I'll be right back."

"Bring snacks!" Sasuke yelled, before the door close. "Dobe, how can he run out of beer?" He muttered. He stretched out on the floor and looked at the bookcase. There was no way that idiot could run out. He had to be hiding some, probably so he could excuse himself or something. Rolling over onto his stomach, the raven started to pull books off the shelf. By the second shelf, he found a small black bottle behind some scrolls. Smirking, he took the bottle and pulled out the cork. "Usuratonkichi, thought you could hide it from me."

Sasuke had just finished the bottle when Naruto returned with four plastic bags full of beer. The blonde almost dropped the bags seeing the empty bottle in Sasuke's hands, but he couldn't stop his mouth from falling open in utter horror.

"What's wrong, Dobe?" Sasuke gave him a lazy look until he saw the beer and reached out to take it from him.

"N-nothing." Naruto quickly lied and took a seat across from Sasuke.

For the next thirty minutes, Naruto watched Sasuke like a hawk. He didn't seem to be affected in any way. "Maybe the drug is a dud," he thought. A part of him felt disappointed, but reminded himself it was for the better. He didn't want to do something like that to Sasuke. That's what he told himself logically. Tragically, his lower half disagreed. His sighing going unnoticed by his comrade, he continued to drink, hoping that the night would continue without incident.

+  
(There is rape ahead. Please turn back now if you are sensitive to those types of situations. It will be treated as a Japanese manga which usually takes those situations somewhat lightly. I will receive no more reviews about being a deranged psychopath because of this situation. If you want to keep reading and skip this scene go to next line break)

It was dark when Sasuke awoke. He didn't remember going to sleep, but he was lying on an unfamiliar futon with blankets draped carefully over him. Quickly he glanced around the room to try to get some bearings of where he was. As his eyes adjusted, he recognized the furnishings of the blonde's apartment. He turned his head to see Naruto snoring softly in the bed next to him, blanket tangled in his legs as the blonde himself was sprawled out on his bed in odd angles The dobe must have put him to bed after he fell asleep, or passed out. He wasn't quite sure which one. He did know however that he was very uncomfortable. Why now? And here of all places. He wondered. Naruto would have a field day if he knew. There was nothing to do but get to the bathroom without waking Naruto to take care of it.

That was the plan anyway. Unfortunately, his legs were tangled in the sheets and he tripped, landing less than gracefully. Sasuke cursed heaven and hell as he desperately tried to get untangled, but he had heard the blonde's breathing change. Shit, he was up. "Teme? What are you doing?" The blonde's tired voice asked. Sasuke heard the blankets shift, so he could only assume the blonde was sitting up to assess the problem.

"It's nothing. I just need to go to the restroom," he muttered.

"Oh, well let me help you. "

"No!" Sasuke's face tinged pink at the outburst when he saw Naruto start to get out of bed.

"Why the hell not?! You're so hammered that you can't even walk right."

"I said I'm fine." Sasuke quickly looked for an exit. God he wished he would just disappear right there.

Naruto got out of bed and grabbed the raven's arm, pulling him up to his feet. That's when he noticed why Sasuke was acting so strange. He had a nice large bulge in his pants. The ANBU captain's mind overloaded with that information unable to do anything but stare much to Sasuke's discomfort. Had the drug worked or was it a coincidence.

"Let go!" Sasuke used his body weight to pull away and stumbled back onto his make shift bed on the floor.. "I was just going to take care of it."

Naruto shook his head and replied. "You won't let me take you to the bathroom, and you can't get there yourself."

"Never mind that. I'll just sleep it off."

"Really," he said almost sarcastically. "Are you sure you can sleep with it?" Naruto almost smiled at the frustration on the raven's face. "I could help you take care of it."

"Don't even think about it," he snapped. "I'll be fine."

Frustration crossed Naruto's features before he skillfully hid it. Kurama was going to make this difficult on him. For some reason the foxes chakra was reacting. Not in large quantities like when he was angry at something, but something softer and more subtle, just enough to make its presence known.

"Go ahead and take care of it. I won't watch." Naruto got back on his bed with his back turned to Sasuke. Kurama was telling him to pounce. Not necessarily by words, but by that soft subtle chakra flare that coursed through him. Every cell of him wanted to follow that advice, but he shouldn't. He couldn't.

Naruto didn't hear anything at first and he assumed that the raven wasn't going to take his advice. He was filled with a mixture of relief and frustration. He hadn't really thought Sasuke would take him up on his proposal. That was why Naruto's mouth almost fell open when he heard Sasuke shift his clothing soon followed by the raven's soft but heavy breathing. That bastard was really going to try to take care of it in front of him. How cruel was that? The blonde couldn't help himself. Between himself being influenced by the large consumption of beer less than two hours before and that soft hum of chakra flowing though his body, his decision making skills we more centered around his desires than rational thinking. He took a peak. He took a moment to take in Sasuke's hard erection standing tall as clumsy pale fingers, moved across it. He had never seen Sasuke look so uncoordinated in his life. The drug was definitely making him vulnerable. Still, it was painful to watch him look so desperate for release yet unable to get there due to lack of motor skills.

Naruto was going to hate himself for what he was about to do. It was going to be pure self torture with nothing to gain from it. The captain moved over to Sasuke and clasped his hand over Sasuke's guiding his hand.

The look of shock, embarrassment, and another emotion Naruto couldn't quite name was on his face. "What the hell are you doing?" Naruto had to admit, that was a lot calmer than what he was expecting.

"I would like to get to sleep, but that won't happen until this is done, and you look like a clumsy teenager trying to take care of it."

"I don't want a homo jacking me off!" Naruto took his hand away and looked away, feeling guilty that he had been the one to cause this. "Then pretend I'm a girl or something," he responded.

Sasuke didn't miss the guilt on his face. "Did you have something to do with this?"

"It's not my fault you went through my shit!" Naruto pointed at the bottle that laid on the floor a few feet away feeling angry. He was innocent after all. He hadn't told the stupid raven to go looking though his belongings and drinking unknown substances.

"What the hell! Why do you even have something like that? Were you planning on using it on me?"

"No!"

"Then why would you keep something like that?"

"Sensei gave it to me."

"Then you should have thrown it out you idiot."

Annoyed, Naruto started to help Sasuke jerk off again. "I didn't tell you to drink random things you found now did I?" That shut Sasuke up. "Let's just call this a mutual mistake."

Sasuke grunted in agreement, before closing his eyes and coming in Naruto's hand. He was horrified for two reasons. The first being he had come from a guy jerking him off; the second being that he still had a healthy erection with no signs of going down.

Naruto on the other hand had his own problem. His mouth was dry and he could feel Kurama's energy pulsing through him stronger than before. He hadn't felt this overwhelmed by Kurama in a long time, and it was telling Naruto to do one thing. Naruto's haze filled mind made it difficult to resist. Unable to stop his actions, the blonde's mouth attached itself Sasuke's neck sucking and nipping at the tender pale flesh, his hand stroking Sasuke's staff quickly and skillfully, tightening his hand at just the right times. He wanted to see Sasuke come undone underneath him so badly. He had waited so long to have Sasuke be vulnerable under him like this. His pinched and teased the tip as his tongue swirled around the abused skin.

"Dammit Dobe, get off of me!" Sasuke struggled weakly underneath the slightly bigger man, but he lacked the power to do anything.

"I'm just getting you off teme," the blonde's voice was filled with lust, and his warm breath against pale skin sent a shiver down Sasuke's spine. He felt Naruto lean him back against the futon, his lips following his collar bone and leaving hickey's along the way. His skin was so smooth under the blonde's lips, so pale and perfect. It made him want to mark it. Made him want to claim the raven so everyone knew he was off limits. His nips turned into bites, causing the raven's breath to hitch in surprise, his own arousal responding just slightly to the possessive actions.

Sasuke was going to accept it. Naruto was right that he couldn't get off on his own in his current state and it had been uncomfortable, almost unbearable to just leave it alone. He would let the dobe kiss his neck even as long as he was just getting a hand job. That was until he felt two finger's circle his entrance for a second before slipping inside. A breathless gasp escaped him at the sudden intrusion. "Th-this has nothing to d-do with jerking off." He pushed against Naruto's chest. Had the blond always slept in just his boxers? "Dobe, get it out." He refuse to have any part of another male inside him.

No, he needed to be prepared before he could take him. Naruto stretched him with his fingers. He pulled back just enough to admire the marks he was leaving. He was his. No one else could have him. "Don't worry, it will feel good soon." His tongue snaked down, Sasuke's chest, stopping at a nipple, taking the bud into his mouth. He heard a soft moan escape the raven before the other man clamped his mouth shut. Naruto smiled against the warm skin. As soft and quiet the moan was, it was something he knew he could become addicted to.

"I don't want to feel good. I want you to stop." Naruto added another finger and felt his raven squirm, trying to get away from it.

Naruto paid no attention to his friend's words, to far immerged in his desires. He tried to coax the man underneath him to relax with carefully placed kisses and touches. When Naruto felt the raven was ready, he pulled away and removed his fingers. He used one hand to push his boxers down, releasing his own hard erection. He positioned himself at Sasuke's entrance, getting ready to push into his tight ass when he saw the anger and sadness in Sasuke's eyes. It pulled him into his right mind if only for a moment.

"Stop. If you stop now, I'll pretend this never happened." Sasuke looked into those familiar bright blue eyes which showed that the blonde was struggling with himself. Finally, Naruto closed his eyes and said, "You wouldn't forgive me anyway," and pushed his cock into Sasuke's ass.

Sasuke clenched his teeth. He didn't like the feeling of having his ass stretched. It was unnatural. Two men doing this was wrong and it hurt, but he refused to make a sound. He wouldn't complain, but he was still glad that Naruto had given him a moment to adjust. Naruto was quite well endowed it seemed, though he hadn't had a chance to look for himself, nor did he want to.

Naruto started slowly, letting him get used to the size and stroking Sasuke's member in hopes to make him feel more at ease. It hurt because he was so tense. If he would just relax more . . .

"Get it out," Sasuke murmured. Naruto chose to ignore him and gave a hard thrust. Sasuke hissed in pain. Moving Sasuke's legs, he tried another angle giving another hard thrust. A moan was caught in Sasuke's throat that time though he tried hard to hold it back. "Stop. It feels disgusting," the raven said more urgently this time.

"Just because it feels good doesn't make it disgusting." Naruto muttered, thrusting again and setting a steady pace.

Sasuke couldn't argue much as he focused on not enjoying the feelings his body was experiencing. The raven did manage to get out one blow toward the blonde. "You're worse than Orochimaru." He felt the blonde hesitate before he answered, hatred and sadness laced his voice, "I know."

Naruto managed to get Sasuke to come several times and a few himself before Sasuke's body seemed to be satisfied. Both exhausted, the raven fell asleep first, Sasuke in Naruto arms. Though he was exhausted, he watched his friend, no he didn't have the right to call him that, his rival sleep. He had always wanted to see the raven in the midst of passion. Though the Uchiha had been reluctant, the blonde had saw it. What would he have looked like if he had wanted it as badly as the blonde had? What other sounds would he have made? What would have turned him on? The blonde was loathing himself. He blamed Kyuubi, he blamed alcohol, and lastly he blamed himself for being weak willed. He knew he had just hurt the most important person in the world to him, and yet he was selfishly looking at the raven asleep in his arms not wanting to let go. He didn't want to face the consequences that would surly follow when the sun rose. The blonde's last thought before drifting into oblivion was, Don't let this night end. 

+

As fate would have it, morning did come and Naruto decided cursing Kyuubi to hell and back was easier than wallowing in his own mistakes at that moment. He thought they were friends, how could he do this to him. He knew he couldn't completely blame Kyuubi. He shouldn't have let himself get so drunk to the point his judgment was compromised. He had been persuaded too easily by his feelings of desire. And now everything would be ruined between them. He always dreamed of Sasuke waking up beside him and saying good morning with his hair in disarray and a smirk pulling on those perfect pale lips. Now that dream was ruined. He was only glad he had dressed for work after he had gotten up. He still hadn't decided if he was going to stay long enough for Sasuke to wake or not.

He didn't get a chance to decide. The sound of shifting cloth alerted the ANBU that the raven was starting to wake. Wisely, Naruto was already on the other side of the room, wishing he invested in a larger apartment.

Sasuke woke and stared blankly at the wall for a while. The blonde had hope that maybe he had forgotten. That was before a look of pure murder took over his features and a dark aura surrounded him. Both were completely aimed at the blonde. Sasuke grabbed the kunai that Naruto kept under his pillow and motioned the blonde to come.

The blonde laughed nervously and took a step away. "That's okay. I don't want to be killed quite yet."

"Funny, you seemed to be asking for it last night." His voice was gruff from overuse. Naruto always made sure he satisfied his partners. The blonde couldn't help but smirk small flare of pride which made Sasuke's glare intensify.

The blonde looked down as shame and guilt covered his feature. Naruto hadn't planned to really defend himself or his actions. Nothing could excuse him from what he had done. He was planning to go down with as much dignity as a rapist could have. Despite that, the small comment still made it's way past Naruto's lips. "You can't blame all of it me. Part of it is your fault you know." He had only said it out of habit. Sasuke would say something mean to him, he would blame Sasuke in turn. It was a ritual almost. Still, he hadn't meant for it to come out. Not now, and Sasuke had heard it.

Sasuke's elegant eyebrow ticked. "What the hell are you saying moron?"

Naruto's voice was quiet as he spoke, his strength to have this confrontation quickly leaving him. "You're too careless." He already said this much. He might as well get it off his chest, he thought. "I told you that I like you, but you always act so vulnerable around me. You never think about how I might feel. Do you know how much restraint I have to have when you shower in front of me or get drunk like you did last night? I have to smile, grin and bear, and resist the urge to do anything, while pretending absolutely nothings wrong. Isn't it unfair?"

"I trusted you!"

Hurt flashed across his blue eyes. Then Sasuke watched the usually bright tan face become cold towards him. Sasuke wasn't sure if Naruto ever looked at him like that before. For some reason, Sasuke's words seemed to touch something in him. Something that turned the hurt into anger. His fists shook as he tried to reign in his emotions. "Trust? More like naivety. You were always such a bastard. "

Naruto felt his cheek sting before he heard the kunai hit the wall behind him. "Get out."

"It's my house." The blonde didn't feel like fighting. He had lost him. He wouldn't be able to get him back. Not as a lover or a friend.

"I don't want to see your stupid face again." The cold black eyes watched his friend move towards the dresser and picked up two masks. He threw one to Sasuke who caught it with ease and put the other one on with just as much finesse.

"Whatever you want." His warm voice was flat and held no emotion. The next moment, he was gone leaving Sasuke alone in the room, the images of and rejected and emotionless Naruto fresh in his mind. How was it he was the one raped yet he was the one who felt like the ass?


	4. Missing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I admit I am surprised no one has assaulted me with hateful comments on the last chapter or that the first 4 chapters are based off another manga. I guess only FF has such hateful people.

"I'm home." Sasuke called out as he took off his shoes at the entranceway of his apartment. He didn't expect anyone to answer, but old habits were hard to break when surrounded by old memories of his parents' home. It was easy to forget when he had to be around a perverted snake for hours on end; it would make anyone grumpy and irritated enough to forget such pleasantries. Here in Konoha? No such distractions.

His apartment was large. Unlike Naruto who had a pretty much a one room/kitchen apartment, Sasuke's was much nicer. The entry lead to an open floor plan with a designated dining, kitchen and sitting area which had floor to ceiling windows and sliding class door that lead to the balcony. His bedroom was through the door on his right and he had a full bath through the door on his left. He had minimum furniture however and very few trinkets or pictures on display, and everything was a mutual color. It didn't matter much to him. He wasn't home often enough to actually make it feel like a home. It was more of a place to stay until he figured out what he was going to do with his life. The only pictures he did have out were on his desk where he wrote his reports on late nights and there were only three. One of team 7, one of his entire family, and one of just him and his brother.

He made his way farther into his apartment, walking stiffly to his bed. What he wanted to do was lay down on his bed, curl up, and try to forget everything that happened yesterday. He wouldn't have such luck though. He was in desperate need of a shower, and he had to report to work for a proper debriefing. He'd have to see Naruto again.

He silently cursed. Shower first then he'd worry about the idiotic rapist for a best friend. As he turned to head for the shower, he saw a scroll waiting innocently on the table. Annoyed by yet another unexpected surprise, he angrily picked up the scroll and scanned over it. Sasuke only had to glance at the writing to know it belonged to said idiot. A battle ensued inside Sasuke whether or not to actually read it or not. After Naruto left his apartment, Sasuke put on his clothes then used the teleportation jutsu to get most of his way home after realizing that not only did he have a slight limp, which he would kill anyone who dared asked him about it, his physical prowess was still down by 80 percent.

Sasuke decided to read the note just wanting to see what excuse the idiot would come up with so he could punch the blonde when he saw him. The message was as follows:

_Hey Teme,_

_I'm sorry for what I did. I know you don't want to see me, so I'll cover for you the next few days at work. I managed to get you until the end of the week to just relax and get your strength back. I'll try to make myself scarce after that so don't worry too much. Just get better okay? And again, I'm sorry._

_~From your asshole of a friend_

"Stupid idiot." The raven muttered throwing the scroll into the trash. Didn't even try to make an excuse. Though it surprised him, he still found satisfaction that the bastard knew he was wrong.

Not waiting for a shower any longer, he managed to pull off his clothes, ignoring the protest of his sore muscles, on the way to his bathroom. He wouldn't think about this right now. The blonde didn't deserve to be thought about so much. He just needed to clear his mind and sleep. Then he could consider killing the blonde.

He let the hot water trail down his body and let the tension roll of him with each droplet, and his mind started to clear. He grabbed the soap and went through the motions of washing himself, starting with his head, then chest, then arms. The rhythmic, familiar motion made him all but forget, until the soap slipped out of his hands. When had his eyes closed? Did he really just put himself in a pre-meditative state standing in the shower? Apparently he was more disturbed about this then he was admitting to himself and acknowledging that was making his nerves worse. He looked down at the soap and debated picking it up. Withholding a sigh, he bent over. As he stood up, he noticed something thick and sticky trailing down his legs. The raven's cheeks turned a bright red out of embarrassment and anger. "Bastard!"

+

Should he go to work? Sasuke stared at his cat ANBU mask that laid innocently on his bed. He was dressed for work, he had set his alarm for work, he even filled out reports for work, but he didn't want to go to work. He wasn't ready to see "him" yet. He hadn't decided to forgive him, but he did decide not to kill him. His anger eased a little over his break, but he wasn't sure he could hold onto his convictions on not killing him on sight. He had the right to be angry, but he still agreed, though by a very small amount and would never admit it out loud, that he had been careless to let his guard down. He should have known better than to let his guard down. It was why he built walls to begin with, to keep himself from getting hurt. He had known how the blonde felt about him and should have been cautious. He wouldn't make that mistake again. As much shit as they had been through together, it seemed anti-climatic to end everything over one night. Disappointing really. For the moment, he decided to withhold his judgement on whether to break off the friendship or not. Until his anger cooled more, he wouldn't make a decision. Worse than letting his guard down was letting his anger and consequentially his hatred make his decisions. He was still suffering from the last time he had let it do that.

Even knowing all this, Sasuke was still struggling to decide to go to work. "This is ridiculous." In the next moment, the mask was in his hand and was heading out the door. Might as well rip off the band-aid right?

Wrong. "What do you mean he's not here?"

Sakura shrugged. The pink haired kunoichi had become much less annoying as she grew up, and Sasuke actually respected her. Enough so, that he had dated her for a couple months. Despite popular belief, Sakura was the one who had ended the relationship. _The sex was fantastic. It was just . . . it just doesn't seem like you're really interested. Like . . . you're not really here with me._ It should have been a warning sign. A girl who had been his lifelong fangirl broke up with him. Ino said something similar too, but he just brushed it off as girls realizing that a relationship wasn't like a damn romance novel. Still, he respected them as fellow shinobi and part of the few who had welcomed him back. "He said we were supposed to do sparing today, yesterday. He hasn't sent a message saying it was cancelled or anything."

Sai was staying silent during the conversation, eyeing Sasuke with a blank stare. "What?" Sasuke snapped. He didn't know why, but he never liked Sai. Naruto always joked it was because he was the Uchiha's replacement. Sasuke had hit him upside the head as his reply.

"What did you do to him?"

The question caught the Uchiha off guard. Why was it automatically his fault? "What makes you think that I-"

"He's been down the past 4 days starting the same day you stopped showing up. Now you're here, but he isn't. Isn't that odd?"

"Now that you mention it," Sakura's green eyes bore into him, "Sai has a point. It is a bit weird."

"So it makes it my fault?" Sasuke glared, vaguely aware that his body language was defensive.

Sai immediately pounced on it. "I don't know. Is it?" He pressed.

"Look, I don't know where the dobe is! Take the day to do individual training!" Sai stared at Sasuke with interest as if he knew, just knew he was lying about something.

Though most would use the word fled, Sasuke _retreated_ as quickly as possible. Why did everyone immediately believe it was his fault anyway? Growling, he went to find a quiet spot to train, away from the others.

The next five days, the blonde still failed to show up, and Sasuke was livid. The coward wouldn't even show his face in front of him. What type of man was he to not take responsibility for his actions? What the hell was wrong with him? In his rage, he marched up to Naruto's apartment and banged on his door. He threatened, he cursed, and when that wasn't enough, he finally broke into the apartment. It wasn't hard. Even a genin could have got in. Sasuke made a small mental note to increase his own security at his own place as a result. Cautiously, he entered the apartment. The room was cleaner than the last time he had been there. The beer cans were gone and everything was straightened up and organized. He took a few more steps in the room. No dishes from breakfast, no trash, no clothes in the hamper. The blonde hadn't been here in days and he knew he wasn't going to be if he had taken care of all of his chores before he left. But where did he go? His team was here in Konoha, so he couldn't be on a mission. Then where?

He had no clue. Sasuke leaned against the wall, trying to think. All of their comrades hadn't seen hide or tail of the blonde. Other than to perhaps see Gaara, he had no idea where the blonde would go, and Suna was inconveniently far to run away from him for a few days. Did he know that little of Naruto's private life?

He would contact Suna and see if he was there. If not, he would try something else. "I'm going to kill that idiot once I find him," he murmured. Pushing himself off the wall, he left the small apartment, making sure to erase all traces of him ever being there.

+

Suna was quick with their response. By afternoon the next day, he had received a scroll telling him that Naruto was not in Suna nor was he due to arrive anytime in the near future. His frustration only grew when everyone kept asking him if he knew where he was.

"So you seriously don't know?" Ino asked. Once a month, the Konoha 11 would meet at the barb-q restaurant for dinner just to keep up with old times. Normally Sasuke didn't mind the meetings much. It had given him a sense of normalcy when he had come back. Now, he briefly wished he had never come back to the village.

"I told you before. I don't know." He would have told them already if it made them shut up. He wasn't that lucky. His grip on his chopsticks tightened. "Why would I know where that dobe has gone?" He stabbed at his beef. "I'm not his care taker."

No one commented on at his behavior. "Well you two are joined at the hip." Kiba commented as he took a sip of his sake. "I mean when we see one, the other is near." Akamaru barked in agreement, wagging his tail as he sat at the table as the exact duplicate of his master plus the white fluffy tail.

Ino folded her hands and leaned forward towards Sasuke. "Exactly. That's why it's so odd."

The raven glanced at Sakura who had been quiet the entire evening. That was unusual for her even if it was Sakura. "I don't know anything." Sasuke said with a tone that state the conversation was over and shoved a large piece of meat into his mouth.

"So what did you do this time?" the brunette asked. Sasuke answered the question with his famous glare. Why did everyone keep assuming it was his fault? Kiba grew uncomfortable when Sasuke's sharingan started to activate much to the raven's satisfaction and causing the table to become silent once more.

"Hey, um . . . do you think Naruto is gay?" Sasuke, who had been chewing on a piece of meat, coughed in surprise at TenTen's out of the blue question, thumping his chest to help the beef to go down. Sai offered him a glass of water, but no one else seemed to have noticed his difficulties.

"Wh-why would you say that?" Hinata spoke up this time, pushing her hair back behind her ear. Her stutter had become barely noticeable since she took over as the head of the Hyuuga clan a little over a year ago.

"Well besides Sakura-chan, he's never shown interest in anyone, and he gave up on Sakura almost 6 years ago."

"Why does it matter if he is or not?" Choji murmured, placing several pieces of meat onto his plate.

"Well, he seems . . . lonely doesn't he. Maybe we should hook him up with someone." Everyone stared at TenTen.

"Hn. Troublesome."

"I am inclined to agree with Shikamaru." Pale eyes scanned the others around the table. "We should not involve ourselves with Naruto's affairs. Things never go well when one starts meddling." The older Hyuuga poured himself another drink.

TenTen huffed in response, but eventually agreed.

The rest of the night passed fairly easily compared to the start and everyone went their separate ways afterwards. It must be nice for them to be able to go home to their family while his family . . . He stopped himself. He shouldn't go there. That mindset brought problems to him and the people around him. Taking a deep breath, the Uchiha started towards the outskirts of the village.

He wasn't expecting Sakura to be standing outside his apartment. People rarely came by this close to his home for obvious reasons, and truthfully, he didn't mind much. He liked his privacy, and it kept the villagers who disliked him far enough away, so he didn't have to see their judging stares. "I hope you haven't gone back to stalking me," he smirked. His old teammate looked up at him with sad green eyes. His body tensed. "What happened?"

"I know where Naruto is."

Questions raced through his mind while anger and relief filled him. Unable to decide what to ask first he picked the first one that ran across his mind. "Where and why didn't you tell the others?"

She gave a bitter smile. "Aren't you going to invite me inside?"

Sasuke, after a small debate with himself, nodded, brushing passed her to unlock the door. Sakura looked around with some interest. "You know, even when we were dating you never once invited me in."

"Naruto."

She glanced at him for a second then continued looking around. "He's on a mission alone."

Sasuke stood a little straighter. "He's what?"

"You heard me." She picked up a picture of Itachi in his younger years holding a young Sasuke. "He's doing a solo mission."

"Those missions are suicide missions."

She sighed. "Yeah, it is." Placing the picture down she turned to face him. "I didn't tell the others because I wasn't supposed to know. I got worried and looked through some files lying around the hokage's desk to see if she knew anything. According to the file, he had requested the mission himself." She finally looked back at him, worry in her eyes. "I couldn't tell the others because it's classified, but I thought you should know."

"That idiot." Why would he take on such a dangerous mission? Did he . . . Did Naruto feel so guilty about what he did that he tried to commit a shinobi suicide? Guilt started to eating away at him, starting at the pit of his stomach.

"I don't know much about the details itself, but Naruto is supposed to report in a few days, if not . . . well I guess we can't even expect a body to bury can we." Failed shinobi destroyed their bodies so secrets and techniques did not fall into the hands of the enemy. If Naruto failed, he would be listed under missing. They would be lucky if they could find any proof of his death to bring home for closure. "I don't know what happened between you two, and I'm not going to pry, but if Naruto does come home, if that idiot didn't get himself killed, please fix it. I'm begging you."

"What happens between me and the dobe is none of your concern, but I will be talking to him when he gets back."

She smiled. "That's all I can really ask for right?"

The Uchiha walked her to the door and asked if she would be alright walking home alone. With a reassuring smile and an awkward hug, she told him she would be fine and left him alone to think.

The night was a restless one as well as the next three. Every day he would stop by Naruto's apartment to see if there was any trace of his dobe and every day his worry and anxiety increased just a smidge. With news of an ANBU corpse with blonde hair being brought back to the village, Sasuke was the first one at the gates to confirm his friend's death. Only, it wasn't Naruto who had died. "Don't be so misleading in your goddamned reports!" He snapped at the two medical shinobi who had sent the report.

So the days wore on. After a month, Sasuke was ready to give up, and he was in a sour mood. Sakura had Sai to reassure her that Naruto was okay, but even she was losing faith. A mission that was to last only a few days to a week didn't last a month without news of any sort. He was waiting for the hokage to declare him missing in action any day now.

Out of habit, the raven stopped at the dobe's house again expecting the same result as the last 29 times he had stopped by. This time it was different. Light escaped from behind the curtains of his room. His heart thumping and his blood racing, Sasuke dropped his groceries where he stood and raced up the stairs to the apartment. He didn't wait to knock. He threw the door open, threatening to break the hinges from the rough treatment.

A startled blonde looked up, his blue eyes widening. "Sasuke," he barely breathed.

Relief spread through Sasuke so fast, he feared his legs would give out. He was there. He was alive. He was . . . perfectly . . . fine. "Dobe," he growled; anger quickly replacing the relief.

A sigh escaped the blonde. "Damn my luck sucks. Figures you'd show up," he muttered. In front of the blonde were books, scrolls, clothes, and boxes. It almost looked like he was getting ready to move.

"Luck? I've stopped by every day since you decided to go up and missing a month ago. Where the fuck have you been?"

The blonde truly looked surprised. "You stopped by every day?"

"Speak before I truely kill you this time." Sasuke's fists shook with barely controlled rage.

"I was in Suna."

"Liar. I contacted Suna. They said you weren't there nor were they expecting you."

"Of course they would say that. No one knew except Gaara and his siblings."

"Then why were you away for so long? You're mission was only to last a week at most."

Naruto finally got off his knees and sat down. With a tired expression, he looked right into Sasuke's eyes. "I did contact someone. I contacted the hokage. After I sent the report in, I requested some leave. I've been staying with Gaara since."

Damn that old woman for keeping that news away from them. "Why would you take such a dangerous mission? Did you really want to die?"

"So you didn't hear the details?" When Sasuke shook his head, Naruto continued. "The mission was to investigate an old lab of Orochimaru. After what happened, I didn't want you dealing with something so stressful like that, so I asked her if I could take the mission by myself. I bumped into Temari while I was there, and she insisted I take some R&R after talking for a while. You know how she is." He chuckled. "Anyway I talked to Gaara, and he offered me to be a diplomat in Suna to get acquainted with people from other villages and get an idea of the political situation. I accepted." Another book was placed into the box. "This way you won't have to see my face for a few years."

"What about your dream to be Hokage. Tsunade's looking at stepping down soon. If you're not here, they might pass you over."

"That's true, but you'll be happy right?"

"Dammit Dobe! Don't give up your dream because of something so trival!" Sasuke must have blinked. He didn't see when Naruto had moved, but he did feel his back hit against the wall with Naruto pinning him there.

"Trivial? You don't realize yet that you are more important to me than some stupid position. You don't realize how hard it is for me to look at you every day and never having you!" His voice softened after his outburst. "No," he said gently, "I rather leave than see you look at me the way you did that day." The blonde eased up on him, taking a step back.

"You should have at least told me you were leaving."

Naruto laughed though it seemed too dark for his bright personality. "Why would I? You didn't want to see me, and I was trying to separate myself from you." The blonde took a seat on his bed and for the second time, Sasuke received a cold and emotionless look from his blonde. "What are you doing here teme?"

"You're a selfish idiot you know that! Do you know how worried everyone was? They kept hounding me for answers constantly."

"I'm sorry if I made it uncomfortable for you. I've made up my mind not to cause you anymore problems, so you only have to deal with me for a little while longer."

"I didn't know you were into blackmail." He murmured.

"Teme?"

"That's what it is isn't it? Blackmail? Giving up your dream and leaving the village for several years. Do you think I'd give in if you threaten to leave?"

"Wait, wait." Naruto held up his hands, signaling Sasuke to stop so he could catch up with the situation. "My leaving is blackmail to you?"

For a moment, Sasuke's face turned a deep red before he pushed it back. "Suddenly disappearing on a solo mission . . . did you really think that we wouldn't care at all?"

"Why would you? I . . . I raped you." Just saying the word sent pangs of guilt through him. "Did I . . . Did I really make you worry?" the ANBU captain leaned forward, at the sight of Sasuke trembling slightly.

"Don't ever do that again." He whispered.

Naruto went over to Sasuke, hesitating for a moment. He knew Sasuke better than anyone. As much as an antisocial jerk, he pretended to be, he knew the loneliness that ran underneath and how deep it ran. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around him. "I'm sorry," he whispered back. "I didn't mean to leave you alone."

Sasuke wrapped his arms around him in response. He had to know that his friend was still here, that he wasn't alone. Despite Naruto's transgressions, and his anger at the blonde for them that still burned somewhere inside him, he knew he was unable to give up his friend over the incident. Naruto was still the only family he had. Even if that family was limited to one man, he wouldn't ruin that. He had other friends sure, but only Naruto really knew him, hadn't given up on him. He had time to be angry about it over the past month, and that anger would burn for a little while longer, but he couldn't stand the thought of Naruto leaving, giving up his dreams, and going on solo missions to try to repent a single mistake the rest of his life. So for now, he'd let it go, let the anger burn out in time, and move on.

Naruto stared at his face intensely. Gently, his hand caressed Sasuke's cheek before turning his head towards him, leaning down slightly to kiss him. Sasuke's thoughts ceased and for a split second, unconsciously responded to the sudden kiss. The next second he was trying to push the blonde away when the blonde's hand slipped up Sasuke's shirt. "W-wait."

"Why? Wasn't that an okay?" Naruto's eyes flickered red for a second with hunger aimed at the raven.

"Don't get carried away Dobe. It wasn't like that at all."

"You said you didn't want me to disappear anymore." Onyx eyes met intense blue ones.

"So, what does it have to do with this?" Sasuke glared.

"To me . . . it's the same. I told you how I felt. To me that means having you, holding you like this." There was a sadness underlying his lopsided grin. "If I'm near you, I want to have you. If not, I rather leave."

A growl escaped the raven. "You are blackmailing me."

Naruto laughed. "I won't force you to sleep with me and you have the power to push me away." Naruto leaned back some. "And if you do, I'll pack up and leave for Suna."

"Don't pull that bullshit. It's blackmail!"

"You need an excuse," the blonde's hand found its way under Sasuke's shirt once again, caressing soft pale skin. "If you want me to play the bad guy to make yourself feel better about it, I'll do it. If you want me to leave, I'll do it. Just give me the word." Because I can't seem to live without you. He thought. Images of his childhood flashed in his mind. The loneliness. The hatred. He needed, craved to be loved by someone. _Don't push me away. Even if it's just one more night._

Sasuke looked away first, but said nothing. Naruto moved their position to the bed, spending every moment exploring his body, finding his sensitive points that made him squirm underneath the larger male. The raven tried not to enjoy a single moment of it even when the blonde made him climax many times before finding release himself. This was a business transaction and nothing else. It was necessary to keep the blonde here.

Regardless of the Uchiha's supposed unwillingness, Naruto took a few moments during the night to take in Sasuke's face. The face he made when he found release, the way his hair became tousled, the way his skin flushed, it was all beautiful to him, and it made him happy even if he had to blackmail him to see this side of him.

And Sasuke didn't protest. He didn't want to do this of course, but he would overlook Naruto's transgressions because he was his dobe and he needed his family here, no matter what. He didn't dwell on why Naruto was the exception, why he let him get away with so much, or even considered that it meant anything. Only that if Naruto left, everything would fall apart. That he wouldn't be able to get up and face the day again if the blonde wasn't there to support him.

+

Naruto was happily dressed in nothing but his boxers and going back and forth in the kitchen making a delicious breakfast for him and Sasuke while he waiting for his lover to wake. Hearing the soft groan, Naruto stuck his head out to see if the raven was awake. When he saw those onyx eyes staring back at him, his grin grew and hurried to bring out the plates. "Good morning!"

Sasuke glared at him in return. Clearing his throat and trying not to let Sasuke's sour mood spoil his morning, he placed the plate down in front of him. "So, um, Sasuke-teme."

"Once wasn't enough. You had to sleep with me again," his voice dark and menacing.

"Now now teme. You consented this time. It wasn't ra-"

"I should kill you," he murmured. He continued mumbling about underhanded tactics as he stabbed at his breakfast. After a few minutes, he loudly slammed his chopsticks down and headed to the bathroom.

"Wait, teme. We are lovers now right?"

Sasuke's hand stopped short of the door handle and shot Naruto with another menacing glare. "Don't say things that make me sound like a homo." The blonde's mood plummeted, and the raven disappeared into the bathroom.

A long sigh escaped him. The teme was going to be difficult. Maybe he should leave for Suna after all. With a glance at the bed he smiled. All considering, the raven's reaction was much better this time than the first. Maybe there was some hope for them even if the man called him a blackmailer. When it came down to it, his leaving wasn't much of blackmail. Meaning, Sasuke had to feel something for him right?

A yelp came from the bathroom. Grabbing his kunai, Naruto charged in without thinking too much about it. "What's wrong teme?!"

Sasuke was leaning against the wall, his face entirely red. "Who gave you permission to cum in me bastard?!"

Swallowing the embarrassment, he laughed nervously and answered with an intelligent, "Uh."

"I knew it! All homo's are perverts!"

"H-hey now wait a minute." Okay so maybe changing Sasuke's opinion was still a ways off, but even now, Naruto couldn't help but grin at the situation of the naked Uchiha trying to attack him.


	5. Mission

Naruto let out another weary sigh and laid his head on the wooden counter, his drink forgotten. "Life not going as you planned?" Ayame asked sympathetically as she cleaned the last dirty pot, preparing to close for the night.

"You know I thought he would change. I mean after the whole incident, I thought maybe he would change, but no, the bastard is the same as ever. He acts like nothing happened." Naruto had told her an outline of what had transpired the last three months. It had been about a month since Naruto had supposedly blackmailed Sasuke into sleeping with him, and as the blonde had said, nothing had changed except that Sasuke would not allow Naruto to touch him, and the blonde had to beg in order to spar with the raven. Other than that, he was back to the same smart-ass teme.

"It is a lot for him to take in. I mean you did kind of took advantage of him."

Naruto's ears reddened in embarrassment. That was true. He couldn't completely fault the teme. He would still partially blame him for being so nonchalant and careless though. And if the teme was going to be pissed, he should at least show it so that the blonde knew what he was really thinking.

In the corner of his eye, he caught movement, a small change in the shadows that did not seem natural. "Thanks for the drink Ayame-chan." He flashed her a smile that made the poor girl blush. "How much do I owe you?"

"I-It's on the house. Get home safely."

His smile widened just a bit and left a small tip anyway. "Thanks."

Naruto left the stand, adjusting his small sword on his back as he walked down the dark streets of Konoha. He always wondered if the lack of light in certain areas were for the ANBU to maneuver easier throughout the village. He pondered on that idea for a little while as he walked into a nearby alley. Naruto didn't need to look around to know that another ANBU member was hiding in the shadows. "What do you want? It's my day off for a change."

"Captain Uzumaki, my apologies." A figure emerged from the shadows, his ANBU mask of a bird becoming the first thing visible before the rest of his body. Naruto didn't recognize the mask, but the swirling tattoo on his left shoulder told him he worked as the hokage's bodyguard. "Godaime wishes to see you immediately."

An annoyed sigh escaped him as the blonde ran his fingers through his hair. That was one thing he hated about being a captain. He was always on call, and it wasn't like he could refuse for personal reasons like unrequited love. "Tell Granny that I'll be there soon." The shadows eclipsed the man's form before his presence vanished all together, leaving the disgruntled blonde behind.

He let a few minutes pass by before heading back to the main street. It was late enough into the evening that most people were already home minus a few stragglers that he would pass now and then. Taking the road was the longer and slower way to his destination, but the old hag could wait. It was still his day off. He liked taking the main roads over the rooftops at this time at night. It was a reminder why he did things he sometimes regretted, why he gave up sleep, why he came home covered in blood, why he bled, lost friends, and sometimes, though rare, cried. It was all for them.

He glanced through the windows of houses as he passed and saw the countless families and citizens of Konoha. The people he vowed to protect. The people he envied. He refused to have anyone else, especially a child, to end up like he had, alone. He didn't want anyone else to know the pain of losing their parents, lover, friends, or neighbors. Losing Jiraiya had been devastating to him. He had been the closest thing he had to a father. Before that, when the whole village was against him, the darkness from the loneliness he had endured almost swallowed him. He had begun to hate and despise the village until Iruka saved him from that downward spiral.

He stopped in front of a house. Inside there was a kid, no older than seven with a large white birthday cake in front of him. He was surrounded by his friends, and his parents stood behind him, presumably telling him to blow out the candles and make a wish. Naruto felt envy for the boy and forced himself to keep walking. He didn't want to dwell on why he as jealous. He knew why and there wasn't much he could do about it but smile and endure.

The next house that had caught his attention was of two lovers, snuggled up on the couch watching some sort of late night programming. That should have been him and Sasuke. He knew the stoic bastard wasn't the cuddling type, but he never did anything like that before and wanted to try it. That plan had been shot to hell recently and there was no indication that the situation between them would change.

It was hard to push depressing thoughts away after that. As he forced himself to keep moving, he stopped looking at the people in their homes. He felt Kurama stir inside him, ready to offer stiff words of comfort towards him, but he assured the fox he was okay. It always amused the blonde that the fox was concerned over his mental well being. The fox was ill-tempered, quick to judge, and was vulgar in every manner one could think of. He did not comfort well, but hey, it was the thought that counted.

The red circular building came into view as he turned the corner, the large kanji for fire still clearly visible despite the darkness of night. He approached and quickly decided that going inside and using the stairs was a waste of time. He simply jumped onto the roof of a lower building then onto the intended floor where the hokage's office resided. The window was opened, meaning the woman was expecting him. He could see that the woman was worried even though he could only see the back of her head. Sake sat innocently on the desk and appeared to be untouched. That in itself was weird, but the way her shoulders were slumped forward was a dead giveaway.

The wind caressed his face. Looking back over the village, he leaned his back against the wall next to the window. "I hope it's important Granny. I was hoping to get a few more shots of sake in before bed."

"Why can't you take your summons more professionally, Brat? None of the other captains are so flippant about it." He heard her rummaging around with papers on her desk.

"I would, but I seem to have an allergic reaction to authority. I was thinking of painting the third's face green this time." He smiled. It was an old rhythm that he as familiar with. The blatant disrespect of authority and Tsunade's temper was what kept those damn elders away from them as much as possible. They preferred it that way.

When Tsunade didn't come back with a witty retort, he looked back towards the desk. "What happened?"

"There is a mission I want you to go on, and it must stay highly classified."

"Couldn't this wait until morning? I can assemble the team-" Tsunade raised her hand to cut him off. She turned the overstuffed seat around to look the blonde in the eye.

"I don't want the entire team. Just you."

All the muscles in Naruto's body tensed. "I said I wouldn't do anymore solo missions for now. I don't like keeping secrets from my team."

"You might want to reconsider." The woman grabbed a file that was sitting on her desk and got up to hand it to him. With weary eyes, Naruto looked at the file then back at her before taking it. No time was wasted in opening the folder and scanning his contents.

Tsunade watched as the blonde's face paled as he read over the file. She couldn't blame him. "Please tell me that you are shitting me and this is some sick joke."

"Now you know why I came to you with this. He wouldn't take this well."

"No shit he wouldn't take this well!" Naruto snapped. "I mean he finally found peace with everything that happened and now you want to rip open those wounds again on some possibility?!"

"It's a high possibility. As you know, I had you look into the intruders into Orochimaru's old labs. You yourself said you had been unable to find those intruders. If they have the research, it wouldn't be impossible."

"Even if that's true, it would just be an imitation. It wouldn't be the real thing."

"Kill him or bring him back. I'll trust whatever you decide." Those motherly, chocolate eyes bore into him. She was worried about him. He knew that and forced himself to calm down. She didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of his frustrations.

"Thank you for telling me this first. You're right. I will take the mission; however, I will need a team in case it resists, or I need to put it down."

"I'll leave the team assignment to you. Choose people you can trust to not tell Sasuke."

"Only if you don't tell those old bats. God knows all hell will break lose if either party finds out."

"Agreed. When will you leave?"

Naruto considered it for a moment, calculating the time it would take for his team to get ready and the time he needed in mentally preparing himself, aka sleep for a good 12 hours. "18 hours." He said finally. "I'll put the teams together and notify them tonight, get some sleep, and we'll head out right after dusk."

He felt more than saw Tsunade nodding her approval. "Good luck, brat. Bring me back some good sake this time alright?"

The ANBU captain looked at the file in his hand one more time. He would need all the luck he could get and hope this all didn't blow up in his face. Strangely, he felt he wasn't going to be quite that lucky.

+

Something was wrong. He just knew it. His dark eyes looked over the blonde's form as he shuffled nervously in front of him. Naruto had refused to look him in the eye all day.

"Alright, I'm calling today's sparring to be cut short." The blonde smiled, sweating just a bit under Sasuke's intense gaze. Oh yeah, he was hiding something. "I have a mission, so I'll be gone for awhile. Kakashi-sensei agreed to help with the sparring while I'm gone. Teme will be temporary team leader as usual."

"Another mission alone?" Sasuke didn't divert his gaze though Naruto seemed happy to look at Sakura to take her question.

"No, it's just scouting mission Tsunade wanted me to go out with some new recruits. You know, to feel them out." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Master of lying, Naruto was not. It wasn't in the blonde's nature since he liked to shout out everything that was on his mind. So when Naruto did lie, he looked guilty as hell.

Sakura must have been completely oblivious to the lie or didn't care enough to call him on it because she didn't say anything to him. Oddly enough, neither did Sai.

"Well then, I'll see you guys in a bit. Practice hard."

Even as Naruto walked away, Sasuke couldn't help but follow him. He kept 20 ft. behind the blonde, watching him as they walked down the street. The way Naruto talked to shopkeepers and random strangers as he looked over goods and the countless number of pointless conversations he started, made it seem Naruto was trying extra hard to seem normal.

It wasn't until they were a few blocks from the apartment when Naruto stopped abruptly and suddenly turned around to face Sasuke. "Okay Teme, you can stop following me. I got it already."

"Hn, took you long enough to say something dobe. You sure you knew the entire time?"

"Thought even though you're a prick, you would take the hint and leave me alone." It was unnerving, Sasuke thought. Those bright, familiar, blue eyes looking straight through him. Never in his life did Naruto ever looked passed him, like he was invisible, like he wasn't even there. It felt cold. "Finally coming to make good on your promise to be mine? It has been a month."

"Cut the shit, Dobe!" The Uchiha snapped, but he couldn't stop the light blush that tainted his cheeks at the insinuation. "I want to know what you're hiding from me."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Once again those eyes shifted to the side, looking passed him.

Tightness in his chest formed, making it harder to breath. Without thinking, he grabbed Naruto's shirt with both hands, pulling him closer so that they were inches apart. "Not once at sparring did you beg for me to train with you. Do you really expect me to believe there's not something going on?" The words were said softly and dejection seeped into his tone. He cursed his vulnerability at that moment, but Naruto had finally looked at him. Really looked at him.

Warm hands enclosed over the raven's. Sasuke hadn't noticed his hands had been shaking before the contact that made the trembling cease. "I'm sorry," the man before him said, equally as soft. "I won't lie. I suck at it." Gently, the blonde pried Sasuke's hands from his shirt. "I can't tell you this time, Teme. I want to. You're my best friend even if you are an asshole 98 percent of the time." Naruto's light chuckle eased some of the tension that had build between them. "I'll be back in a few weeks at most. Maybe we can get that drink, and you can cash in on that promise?" He asked hopefully.

Naruto watched in fascination at the blush that graced Sasuke's cheeks as he pulled his hands away in haste. "You're disgusting, thinking about that here. Like hell I'd indulge you like that."  
Sasuke felt Naruto's fingers force him to look into his playful azure eyes. "You don't have to, but." His lips brushed the blonde's. "I would like you to." His brain must have short circuited because the next moment, Naruto had pulled away from him and was heading to his apartment.

Unconsciously, the raven brought his hand up to his lips, his eyes glued to the retreating blonde's back. What just happened? Did that idiot really just sweet talk his way out of the situation? When had that klutz learn how to do something like that? Sasuke had gotten no answers and was now well aware how much he let his guard down with Naruto, even in a normal conversation. Maybe he should rethink Naruto's classification from dimwit to evil mastermind. After another moment of consideration, he decided against it. No one was stupid enough to wear an orange jumpsuit besides his Dobe.


	6. Happy Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eventually I'll get to editing . . . one day. Drop a comment if you can.

He hated the rain.

Azure eyes looked up at the sky as lighting crashed. And it was clear only an hour ago too. It was like the sky always decided to open up the heavens at the most inopportune moments when you think things were bad enough.

Naruto looked back at the dark-haired man laying on the ground before him, naked and shivering as the man curled in on himself. It really was a pathetic sight. His body thin and frail, covered in lacerations and dark, discolored bruises. His feet were covered in deep, possibly infected, gashes due to his wanderings. It hurt the ANBU captain to see him like this.

This all started a week ago when they found and started tailing their target. When Tsunade had given him the report about 10 days ago, it had stated that this man was seen 200 kilometers from the location they had actually found him. Even with the surprisingly large distance, it was easy to find him when there were occasional reports of a naked man wandering in the woods, and the occasional small village, with apparently no destination or lucidity. For the man to have made it that far going at the speed of a wounded tortoise, he had to have done little else except walk. No sleeping. No eating. Just wandering.

When they had finally located their target, Naruto felt nothing but rage when he laid eyes on him. He couldn't understand why that particular man had to reappear in his life. In Sasuke's life. That line of thought died fast after the first day of surveillance. The man had looked lost, confused, and lonely. He shuffled his bare, injured feet, stumbling now and then, reaching out with shaking arms to catch himself and often failing which resulted in him falling and adding to his growing collection of injuries. Such a proud man reduced to a fragile, broken man barely able to stand on two legs.

During the week of surveillance, there had been no problem. Naruto was still trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do with the man. He had plenty of time to think at the torturously slow pace they were forced to follow. He still hadn't come to a decision when it happened. One of his teammates, recently promoted to ANBU so he technically wasn't completely lying to Sasuke about field testing new recruits, got too close and stepped on a twig. Even Naruto couldn't laugh at that cliché. The result of that one mistake was frightening. The man's dazed eyes became sharp, locating all of them in a heartbeat and moved faster than he thought was humanly possible. He couldn't even begin to comprehend how he had enough energy to fight them in the man's current physical state.

He had lost two of his teammates, including the one who had set the man off, and the third had a severe wound to her left side within the first minute of the encounter. They hadn't expected the drastic transformation from walking corpse to the S class shinobi the man had been known and feared for. Naruto himself barely had reacted in time to dodge the first strike.

The only reason Naruto had decided to subdue the man, which resulted in a fight that lasted almost an hour instead of 10 minutes, was the fear Naruto saw in his eyes. Fear was so foreign on that pale face, and the blonde was sure the fear wasn't for himself. The man had fought erratically and desperately. Naruto couldn't understand why he was so desperate, why he was so afraid. The man had no where to go, and he had no life that awaited for him anywhere. That fear was the only reason the captain had not killed him for taking the life of his comrades. That man should not be here. He belonged in the afterlife. Still, Naruto could not bring himself to kill him.

And this brought him back to the present. The man lying on the ground, holding himself as he shivered under the ice cold rain drops. The blonde supposed he should start treatment for the man's wounds since his medic was still trying to treat her own wound. He sighed as it began to rain harder. He would start after he found some shelter.

God, he hated rain.

+

Sasuke had failed miserably at getting any closer to having his questions answered before Naruto left. Truthfully, after the altercation in front of his captain's apartment the day before his departure, the raven knew he would be able unable to confront his captain before it was time for his departure that night. He was right. He tried to go to the gate to see him off. Despite the fact that Naruto had come forward with his feelings and forced them on him, he couldn't help but worry about the idiot after his little disappearance. He had been acting strange. . . well, stranger than usual. Naruto didn't like keeping secrets, and it was always obvious when he was hiding one, but the blonde would keep that secret even if it killed him.

Sasuke didn't have much time to focus on it though. The two and a half weeks that Naruto was gone on his mission, Sasuke was, and he groaned whenever he recalled this, training new genins. If Sasuke could think of a better punishment than substituting for the instructors, it would be along the lines of undergoing interrogations headed by Ibiki or enduring Hidan's sadistic rituals. The parents always watched him like a hawk because they didn't trust him with their children and looked for anything that could implicate him. Somehow, and he wasn't quite sure how, Tsunade always managed to convince him to keep at it. Something about letting the village see how much he's changed or something along those lines. At the end of the day, it often seemed like bullshit.

Still, it succeeded at keeping his mind off things. At the end of the day, he was usually too exhausted from dealing with parents and their ridiculously high energy children. He would come home, collapse on his plush, king-sized bed, and fall into a dreamless sleep until his alarm went off.

When Naruto had returned to the village, Sasuke didn't have a chance to meet the blonde at first. In fact, he had expected the blonde to seek him out immediately upon returning. After two days and still no sight of his dobe, Sasuke began to recall the strange behavior his captain had displayed before he had left in the first place.

It wasn't a big deal though. Why should he care if Naruto was keeping a secret? It wasn't any of his business. The dobe would have told him if it had anything to do with him. At least, that's what he thought until he came across Naruto and Sakura talking in an alley, their faces grim. He had been out buying groceries for dinner when he saw them. He only looked into the alley in the first place because he had decided to take a short cut home. He tried to play it off as another argument between the two of them. They still had them occasionally, despite being adults, and rarely ended on a sour note, so he was ready to walk away.

What made his blood run cold was when he saw his ex-girlfriend, lean forward, and place a small kiss on his cheek. The fucker! First he made a move on him and now he was going after Sakura! Livid didn't even begin to describe the raven's anger. The truth of the matter was that his anger at the thought that the blonde was a two timer shouldn't have been possible because they were not dating. He shouldn't even care. He should be happy that his best friends had found one another. They were both single and Naruto had a crush on Sakura since they were kids. It was perfect. He wouldn't have to worry about unwanted advances anymore. Naruto was too good to be a creepy homo anyway. So why was he ready to go up and strangle his captain?

The anger died when he took in the situation more carefully. When Sakura pulled away, she looked at the blonde sadly before quietly saying a few words and took her leave. Naruto didn't budge. He continued to stand in the alley alone, staring intently at the dirty wall in front of him. He had never seen the blonde so . . . depressed before. No smile, not even a glimmer of the usual sunshine that radiated off of him. It felt wrong.

Sasuke unconsciously took a step forward. At the movement caught in the corner of his eye, Naruto whipped his head around to look at him, his blue eyes cold for a brief moment before they warmed and a smile graced his features, though it looked a bit strained. "What can I do for you Teme?"

Sasuke felt like he was caught in the headlights, though he made sure not to show it on the outside. Casually, he shrugged. "I was expecting to be assaulted at work when you came back. When you didn't, I thought I'd come to see if you were assaulting some other helpless victim."

There was a flinch. It was small and shamed flashed across blue eyes for a moment before it vanished without any signs that the emotion was ever being there. The raven's canine's bit the inside of his cheek. He hadn't quite meant to put it like that.

"I assure you, Teme, one mistake that big is enough for a life time. " His voice was dry with not a hint of humor, only annoyance. "I have to go. I have to finish my report."

Sasuke watched the blonde turn his back to him and start to walk away. No, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Before he could think about it, he blurted. "Want to spar?"

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel something when his captain had stopped in his tracks; the feeling didn't last long when Naruto answered. "Some other time."

Dark eyes, stared at the departing figure wide eyed. Naruto never turned down sparring. Ever. Worry, set in his chest. Maybe, the mission ended badly, and he just needed some time to think. It happened every once in a while. An ANBU received all sorts of missions, and they didn't always end without casualties of some sort. Naruto was one of the best captains in the history of ANBU. He rarely lost anyone under his command or suffered any casualties whether it be civilian or foe, but when he did, it really affected him. He always tried to hide it, but Sasuke knew. Just like he knew that Naruto was trying to hide something now.

After staring at the empty alley for a while, Sasuke resumed his walk home back to his apartment. The picture of Naruto staring blankly at the alley wall still disturbed him. Absent-mindedly, he prepped the food for dinner later that night, his knife moving across the cutting board as he minced the onions with ease. Maybe he should do something for him. Not because he cared mind you, but because a depressed captain was more likely to land him more work. He mixed the onions into the sauce, wrapped the bowl and put it in the fridge to cook at a later time.

Something else kept nagging at him though. It had been nagging on him all day. Something about Naruto. Frustrated, he pulled out the hidden leaf shinobi registry and flipped to Naruto's file. He scanned the contents over a few times before realization dawned on him. It was his birthday. How could he have forgotten? His memory was almost perfect, especially with the sharingan. Thinking back, he had never known Naruto for ever celebrating his birthday. When they were younger, he used to invite people left and right at the academy. Since the raven had been back, around this time every year, Naruto was on some mission. He was captain after all, and it wasn't unusual for captains to be busy and on call. But he was home this time, and he hadn't said anything. The mission must have been harder on the blonde than he thought or maybe the dobe had forgotten. It as possible with his slow brain after all.

Making up his mind, Sasuke went back into the kitchen and started preparing more food.

+

Naruto stared at the Uchiha's front door, shifting from foot to foot, weary. It had to be a trap. There was no way Sasuke was going to invite him over willingly, least of all to talk only about work. It had to be a ploy to kill him. He was finally going to exact his revenge against him for that night.

Naruto considered walking away, but the raven must have sensed him because the door started to open before he could retreat. Sasuke was in a comfortable pair of grey sweats and a black shirt when he opened the door. Nothing out of the ordinary there, they were what the raven usually wore when he was relaxing; however, the sight of flour on his face threw Naruto off. "Come in," the raven said gruffly. He left the door open for the blonde to enter and headed back inside.

Naruto still stared at him suspiciously, wondering if it was still too late to back out. Deciding, that the he might as well face his fate, he entered. The sight before him made his jaw drop. On the dining room table sat a simple homemade orange frosting cake with his name on it in blue with yellow candles and around it a banquet of various foods and a stash of his favorite beer. There was even a present neatly wrapped beside the table. "Wh-what is all this?"

"It's your birthday isn't it?" Sasuke asked the question impatiently like the blonde who was slow.

"Yeah, but, all this," he gave a wild gesture with his hand. "Its not like you."

Dark black eyes narrowed. "You can leave if you want."

Sasuke watched the blonde rubbed his head vigorously with his right hand. "Are you sure?" Blue eyes looked at the beer. "Do you really want to drink with me after . . ." Guilt tainted his features, but a pale hand hitting him upside the head wiped the expression from his face. "What was that for?" he whined.

"Wasn't it you who told me to look to the future some years back?" Sasuke took a seat at the dining room table. "What's there to worry about if you're not going to do it again?" Sasuke looked at him intently. "You don't plan to do it again right?"

Blue eyes were still staring at the alcohol and hesitantly, he said, "Right," and took a seat opposite at the table.

"Hurry and make a wish before the candles burn out idiot."

Naruto took in the sight. The cake, the food, . . . Sasuke. His shoulders relaxed as the tension left them and his face softened. "A wish huh? " He closed his eyes. "I wish for this moment to never end." When he reopened his eyes, he locked eyes with Sasuke. A moment passed. He smiled. "Just kidding. I wish I could win a lifetime supply of ramen." Breaking eye contact first, he blew out the candles.

Sasuke looked away. "Hurry and eat your food. It's getting cold." He piled food onto his plate, eager to distract himself. Naruto watched him for a bit before following suit.

Dinner was pleasant. The blonde couldn't even remember the last time he had felt so content. At peace. His problems seemed to be not so important, now that Sasuke was across from him, eating with him, drinking with him, smirking at him. It felt right.

Naruto brought his beer up to his lips and paused in mid sip. "Hey, Teme, how did you know?"

Sasuke ate another piece of teriyaki chicken. "When we were . . . apart six years ago, after the Pein incident, you were put into the black bingo book. The black bingo book is like our bingo book except it's filled with people who aren't rogues who are wanted dead by the underworld. You were in it after Pein. Had your complete file and accomplishments." He chuckled. "Did you know the Zabuza case was in that file?"

"Seriously?" A bright smile crossed his lips, lightening his face. "That was ages ago. We were like thirteen."

"Twelve, idiot," but a smirk couldn't stay off his lips.

"I know. How could I forget?" He tilted his head back and drank the rest of his beer. "You standing in front of me, protecting me from Haku's needles, lying in my arms. I discovered Kyuubi's power and the power I had within myself to protect my friends that day," he leaned forward to grab another beer. "It was also when I started falling in love with you."

Silence fell over the room. After a minute, Naruto's fake smile came back. "I'll start putting everything away." The chair screeched as he stood up to pick up plates.

"I got it, Usuratonkachi. It's your birthday."

"You say that, but you still insult me, Teme." He replied softly, putting the dishes down. "I should go before I do something stupid."

"Uzumaki."

"No," Naruto's hands went up defensively. "I really did have fun, and I don't want to ruin it. I still have a report to write. Don't want that old hag coming after my ass over just a report." He started to back away. To Sasuke, he almost looked like a scared animal being backed into a corner. "I'll see you tomorrow." Naruto turned away, hurrying to open the door.

"Wait." The tan hand paused just inches from the door handle. "You forgot your present."

His blue eyes shifted over to the neatly wrapped box. "What is it?"

"I don't think you understand how this works. You have to open the box to find out."

Naruto returned to the table, picking up the medium size box. "Nothing's going to jump out and bite me right?"

"You want to be Hokage, and you're afraid of a box."

Amusement filled the Uchiha, seeing the blonde blush in embarrassment. "I'm not afraid, just . . . weary."

"If I was going to attack you, I wouldn't do it like this. It would be much less obvious," the tone of the raven's voice was dry.

"True." Naruto undid the ribbon and ripped open the wrapping paper. Underneath was an old wooden box. His breath stilled. On the box was his father's name, etched into the lid. Carefully, he took off the old lid and his mouth went dry. "Is this . . . what I think it is?"

"It took a lot of convincing, but I managed to get it from Tsuande."

Naruto pulled out the long white coat, the red flames licking the edges and the bright lettering on the back that read, "The Fourth Hokage." "I can't believe you got this for me."

"It's nothing. Just thought, it would cheer you up."

The ANBU captain's eyes looked down at his feet. "You noticed."

"I won't ask what happened on the mission, I don't really care, but you being down means more work for me so-"

The blonde laughed hard, doubling over and slapping a hand onto the raven's shoulder. "You could just say you were worried you know."

Sasuke flushed. "Like hell I was. Who would worry about you?"

His laughter died, and Sasuke wished he could take his words back when sadness crept into his eyes again. "Yeah, I wonder who."

"Dobe, I didn't mean it li-"

"Goodnight, Sasuke," the way he said it was gentle and soft and made Sasuke feel guilty. "Thanks again."

Sasuke was still standing at the entryway of his apartment fifteen minutes after Naruto had left. Why did he keep feeling like an ass when it came to that blonde? He never seemed to be able to say the right thing. Moving away from the door, Sasuke went to put the left overs away. At least he wouldn't have to cook for a while.

+

"You know you two are quite pathetic."

Sasuke paused in his filing to look up at Sakura. "What do you mean?"

"A birthday party?"

A few more scrolls were put away before he answered. "What's wrong with a birthday party?"

"Besides the fact you didn't even throw me one when we were dating, Naruto always celebrates his birthday on his parents' anniversary."

Sasuke looked up, hiding his surprise, but not as well as he would have liked. "Why?"

The medic nin didn't bother to look at him before shrugging. "After he found out he was the Yondaime's son, he hadn't celebrated his birthday on the actual date. I think it's because he didn't feel it was right since it's the anniversary of his parent's death. I mean that h-"

"Sakura enough." Sasuke cut in. "It's none of your business."

"So why did you do it," she pressed, sitting next to him. "Not your type of thing. I don't think you did that for Ino or any other girls you dated. "

"What exactly are you trying to say?" He looked at her suspiciously.

"Nothing, nothing. Just saying, that if it was anyone else inviting him to a birthday party yesterday, and believe me some have tried, he would turn them down. Everyone but you."

"I think you are trying to say something."

Her mischievous green eyes seemed to look into his soul. She must have found what she wanted to see because she gave a very dramatic and overdone gasp and turned to look at the clock. It wasn't very convincing if she as going for realistic. "It's that time already? I got to go."

Sasuke watched her leave. Why were women so hard to understand? Glancing at the clock, he knew he should be retiring for the night soon too. Scrolls still littered the archive room, but he figured someone else could clean up their mess. He had already found everything he was looking for, so there was no point in lingering around for another several hours just to clean up.

He picked up the scrolls he needed, ready to leave the room and go home when something else caught his eye. A scroll, stuffed behind the bookshelf with just a tuft of parchment sticking out, was in just the exact position where Sakura would have obviously seen it and had easy access to it while it was completely out of his line of sight. Why would Sakura keep a scroll away from him? He didn't read the archive scrolls. He grabbed what he needed and read what he was told to read.

Carefully, he pulled out the scroll and looked at the date. It was only a few days old, and it was in written in Naruto's familiar, sloppy handwriting.

Curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know why his blonde was acting strangely, what had happened on that mission, and why he was so depressed.

There was a reason why the expression "curiosity killed the cat" came into being. Sasuke found that out first hand as he read the contents, his knuckles turning white and the paper wrinkled and almost teared, in his grip.

He didn't recall leaving the archives building. He didn't recall shoving people out of his way as he walked down the main streets of Konoha. He didn't even recall pounding on his captain's door spouting threats and curses that would put the devil to shame. He did remember seeing the blonde's remorseful face when the door was finally opened. There was no question that Naruto knew why he was there.

"Why? Why the fuck would you hide this from me?!" He yelled, throwing the scroll at Naruto. He didn't even try to dodge it. He just stood there and let the scroll hit him. "How could you do this to me?!" He grabbed the grey vest tightly in his hands, shoving him against the wall, knocking over everything in his way. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?!" Naruto stayed silent even when Sasuke's fists flew. "I deserved to know the truth!"

"You finally settled back in." Blood trailed down tanned skin, from the blonde's split lip. "You were finally moving on with your life. You weren't ready to know."

"So what? You were going to keep him locked up in a basement for the next ten years?! He's my responsibility."

"He was dead."

"Well apparently he's not. You brought him back with you!"

"We don't even know if it's really him. We didn't want to get your hopes up."

"I want to see him."

Naruto looked away and quietly replied. "I can't let you do that."

"Bullshit. You're all about breaking the rules, and you choose now to listen to them? I want to see my brother dammit!"

Naruto's face fell into complete professionalism. His posture became rigid and out his hands behind his back. "No, and as your captain, I am telling you to go back to your apartment."

"You really think you can tell me what to do Dobe? I am seeing him."

"No Sa- . . . Uchiha, you're not." Naruto's face was as hard as stone as Kakashi, who looked indifferent, and to his surprise Sakura, who looked in between upset and angry, came into the room. He fought against them. Struggled against Sakura's jujitsu that made his entire body numb and Kakashi physically restraining him. Anger burned deep inside his chest. The blonde had forcefully restrained him, using their friends at that. How were they even there at the right time anyway? Was he still under watch? Backstabber. How could he have thought he had one friend in this village? They all lie. Naruto wasn't any different.


	7. Personal Lives do not Stay Personal

Naruto must have lost track of time because he hadn't notice that Sakura had returned until she started healing his face that had been steadily turning black and blue. It was a funny thing. Why did healing always seemed to hurt more than the actual injury when it was first inflicted?

A hiss escaped him. "Don't be a big baby," The woman muttered quietly, her hand placed on his cheek, glowing a soft green. Her eyes were full of sympathy. It wasn't something he wanted to see at that moment. He wanted to wallow in his misery.

Sakura was waved off before he had enough strength to say it. "You told him . . . didn't you."

He saw the guilt, her eyes casting downward to the floor. "You weren't going to tell him, so I put the scroll where he would see it when he was leaving. . . He had a right to know."

"We don't even know if it's him. What if Sasuke leaves us again because of this? What if he does something stupid because he's so convinced that it's him and it's not?"

"I'd like to have a little more faith in him. He's changed as have all of us. We are all a bit wiser than we were back then." Her voice was gentle as she spoke to him. It was a bit strange since she was always yelling at him.

"It doesn't matter. He hates me now."

The chuckled surprised him. He looked at her, confusion clouding his features. "He's mad, sure, but if he didn't hate you for being a drunken idiot and practically jumping him, he'll eventually get over this too. You two are inseparable."

"How do you know about that?" he asked sullenly.

"Ayame reprimanded Kakashi, and I happened to overhear. Truthfully, I wasn't surprised. Well I was surprised Kakashi gave you such a thing, but I figured one of you would snap eventually."

He brought his legs up and rested his head on his knees. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

"Hey now, don't be so depressed. Sure what you did was wrong, but you love him, and I know you never want to hurt him intentionally. I'm sure Sasuke knows that too. It's why he forgave you like he will this time when he calms down and thinks this through." He felt more than saw her hand pat his head and ruffle his hair. "Talk to Iruka, it'll make you feel better. I have to report Itachi's medical status." Itachi's name came out with disgust on her lips. He had forgotten she didn't know the truth about Itachi. No one did except Yamato, Kakashi, Sasuke, and himself. He should tell Tsunade the story though with his report. Maybe get the restraints taken off the unconscious man. The hero of the leaf shouldn't be treated like a criminal. That was if it really was him.

"I'll give her the report. I have to talk to Granny about something confidential anyway."

A skeptical look was thrown his way. "You're in the fetal position."

"Am not." He defended, uncurling from his ball, so he could show some dignity. "I'm perfectly fine. Just had a headache."

"Are you sure you want to give the report?"

"Sakura-chan, just let me keep busy alright?" She still didn't look convinced but decided it was fruitless to fight with him. He'd get his way sooner or later. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. Try to remember it alright? You're always forgetting stuff."

"I promise." Naruto took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the task at hand. Pushing his own person problems aside, he resumed his professional nature. He seemed to be getting better at that lately. Sakura looked at him worriedly at the quick change. "I'm alright Sakura-chan. Promise."

"If you say so. Truth is, I'm surprised he's alive. He is suffering from lacerations, which were severely infected, especially on his feet. Due to the infections he was suffering from a high fever which is ironic due to he was also suffering from a mild form of hypothermia. The fever saved him from that I suppose. He has 10 broken bones, 4 more sites where they were healed improperly, malnutritioned, dehydrated, chakra poisoning, unhealed injection wounds, head trauma resulting in brain swelling, and last but not least, severe blood lost and mild form of blood poisoning. "

"Damn. Anything not wrong with him?"

"His eyes are healthy." She offered. "And he seems to be only a month old."

"What do you mean?"

"His cells are only a month old. His body is physically 21-22 years old. About the age when he died, but his cells and organs seem to only be a month old when looking at health and rate of division and regeneration."

Naruto would not admit that most of the conversation was going over his head. He was not a medic and he was never good at technical stuff, but he'd be damned to admit it out loud when he just told her he could handle it. "So what's the overall take? Do you think it's him?"

She paused, thinking on how she should phrase it. "I think, it's him, but not him. Kind of like the resurrected people we fought during the war, except this is a real, living body. It doesn't heal immediately, and it can die."

"But you're saying he's like a . . . clone?"

"Not sure. That's what I'd call it."

"God, I hate Orochimaru. Him and his damn cloning experiments." He let out an agitated sigh. "Okay, I'll talk to Tsunade, and I'll check up on the prisoner afterwards. Can you-"

"Keep an eye on Sasuke? Yeah. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks. I owe you one." He smiled at her.

"What are friends for? Besides I kind of feel guilty for telling him without giving you a heads up first."

"Buy me ramen, and we'll call it even." Picking up his mask, he set out.

It wasn't hard to find Iruka. He was always at the academy. The blonde had never met an academy instructor who loved his job more than him. And Iruka always seemed to make time just for him. So when he appeared in the doorway of his old classroom, Iruka gave him a warm smile and announced self study before excusing himself.

"Well if it isn't my favorite trouble maker." The man said, closing the door to the classroom behind him.

"Hey, I'm not a trouble maker anymore," Naruto protested, taking a seat on a bench just outside the academy.

"That's not what Kakashi tells me."

A loud groan escaped him. "Was there anyone Kakashi didn't tell?"

"Naruto what the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking at all. That was the problem. I was drunk, Kurama as basically telling me to go for it, and at the time, seemed like a good option."

Iruka sighed. "You never do anything half way do you. I guess Kakashi is partially to blame too."

"Why does he have something that dangerous to begin with?"

"Well a-," the brunette stumbled over his words, his face turning red. "Did I ever tell you how Kakashi and I got together?"

Slowly, the younger man shook his head, wondering if he really wanted to know.

"Well, Kakashi and I kind of discovered the drug. You see the drug is made from some venom from the Aburame clan and while we were discussing some things with the clan head, a child lost one of her insects and I got bit as a result. A direct bite is much more potent you see. Well Kakashi thought I looked irresistible so he . . . well." Iruka's face turned so red that Naruto was afraid the teacher would overheat.

"He raped you?!"

"No! God no! He didn't force himself. It was a mutual thing, but if I was never under the influence, I probably wouldn't have opened up to him like that. Now Kakashi always drugs me when he thinks I'm working too hard and need a break, so usually once every two months. It's been good for us. I'm guessing Kakashi hoped it would force you two to open up like it did for us."

"Wait a second. You're telling me the 'important missions' that Kakashi always seems to go on for a week every two months is actually you two . . . eww! I did not need to know that."

"Grow up. It's not like you're a virgin."

"Yeah, but telling me that is like listening to your parents talking about their sex life. It's something I don't want to hear."

"You're such a kid."

"I will proudly admit that I'm okay with that." Naruto chuckled. "Seriously though, are you both happy?"

"Couldn't be happier. I hate it when he drugs me, but in the end, it's for my own good. I never realized how stressed and overworked I usually am until after our excursions. "

"Not to mention that stuff really spices up our sex life." Both Iruka and Naruto jumped at Kakashi's sudden presence behind them.

"Kakashi that's enough, he doesn't need to know all that," the brunette hissed.

"Yes, I don't need to be scarred any more thank you very much." Naruto stood, stretching before putting on his mask. "I need to report to Tsunade. Kakashi how's Sasuke?"

The older man shrugged. "Locked in his apartment. Cursing everything he can think of. Demanding to be released. Demanding to be see his brother. Overall, he'd doing really well all things considered. He stopped trying to escape, and he seemed calmer after Sakura showed up and went inside to talk to him."

"Of course he would feel better when she showed up. He's his ex after all, and it's not like he broke up with her."

"Naruto-" Iruka started but didn't get the chance to say anything else.

"It's alright Iruka-sensei. I'm alright. Sasuke and Sakura-chan deserve each other."

Iruka never got a chance to comfort his student. Naruto was already walking away. With a heavy heart, Iruka watched his student leave; wondering if there was anything he could do.

+

"So that's what's going on." The big breasted woman leaned over her desk, her hands folded and in deep thought. "I guess we can't do anything until he wakes up. I'll try to find the files that explained the event of the Uchiha clan massacre. I doubt the Third didn't keep a record of it somewhere. We'll keep him restrained until we know he's not being controlled though. It will be safer. From your report, it sounded like he's possibly feral."

"That's right." Naruto stood before the hokage's desk, hands behind his back and standing uncomfortably straight.

"Well let's go take a look at him. I want an official medical report anyway." The older woman stared at Naruto. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," he responded without hesitation. Seriously, did everyone know what happened between him and Sasuke?

"Kakashi told me he found out. I could talk to him and-"

"I got it Granny Tsunade." At least she wasn't talking about that night. "I'll handle it."

"If you say so. Come on brat. The sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can drink."

"Should you really be drinking at your old age? You'll get more wrinkles and- Ow! Goddammit that hurt!"

"Respect your elders, you good for nothing brat! I can still kick your ass even at my 'old age'." The woman growled.

Grumbling continued as they walked together side by side down the halls until they came to a door that led to a path underneath the mountain. The trail was dark, lit by torches as they went farther in. The path as a familiar one though. It led to the ANBU hideout and detention cells for major criminals. Itachi was being held in the medical wing for the detention cells. It had the strongest security. They went through four security checkpoints before they could get to the room. The entire way Tsunade was silent, focused on the medical records she was handed. She had come to the same conclusion Sakura had. The body was only a month old, and it had undergone lots of experimentation judging from the injection wounds and foreign bodies in his blood. It also explained the blood and chakra poisoning. Her guess was that he somehow escaped his captors or was left for dead by them.

The room that held Itachi was a decent sized room that fit the hospital bed, and a few chairs comfortably. His hands and feet were bound so that he was incapable of performing any ninjutsu or taijutsu, and his eyes were covered to prevent him from activating his sharingan. Extreme but necessary. "How long do you think it will take him to regain consciousness. " Naruto asked.

"I couldn't even begin to guess. His body's trashed, but he seemed to be making a speedy recovery. We almost finished repairing his chakra channels and detoxing him of whatever was causing the blood poisoning. He should be able to start healing properly after that."

"When is Inoichi supposed to come in for the interrogation?"

He heard the woman flip through a few pages. "In a few hours. It should give us a lot of answers. At least let us know more of what we're dealing with."

"Sasuke is going to be pissed."

"Sasuke isn't going to know."

That caused Naruto to look back at the older woman. "He knows about Itachi. He's not going to sit back and let us not tell him anything."

"He doesn't have to know about the interrogation, but we can send him some updates on his health to at least let him know he's alive."

Naruto looked at her doubtfully. "You don't know Sasuke if you think that will satisfy him. He'll want to see him."

"Look we have to make this work. I'm trusting you to take care of it. I'm doing everything in my power to not let the elders find out. Those old crones would have him killed in a heartbeat to keep their secret if what you said is true.

"Do you think you could clear Itachi's name?"

Tsunade looked at him sadly. "If I clear Itachi's name, I'd have to implicate the leaf and the rest of Itachi's family."

His fists clenched at his sides. "Maybe they should learn the truth. Make everyone realize how prejudice against someone or an entire family can drive them to do stupid things."

He felt her hand touch his shoulder. "Are you still talking about the Uchihas or yourself?"

He mumbled an apology. He thought he let all that go a long time ago. "I guess I'm just tense. If Itachi leaves, Sasuke is going to go with him."

Tsunade opened her mouth to retort, but a low gravelly voice interrupted him. "Sasuke?" The patient pulled weakly against his restraints, but each tug held a bit more powerful and became more frantic. "Sasuke? Where are you?" His voice was full of panic and he pulled more, letting the restraints cut into his wrists. "Little brother?! Can you hear me? Where are you?"

"Someone sedate him!" Tsunade ordered, running over to hold him down. Naruto went to help, summoning two shadow clones to help restrain his wrists while he took a leg..

"Whoever you are, you will pay if you hurt my brother. I'll kill you a hundred times over," the man threatened, his voice low and dangerous. "Return me to Konoha at once."

Naruto looked up at Tsunade who shared the same puzzled look. The blonde spoke first hoping to calm him before he hurt himself more. "This is Konoha."

For a moment he stopped struggling. "This is Konoha? Then you know where my brother is?"

"Yeah, he's safe."

Naruto felt the man's muscles relax underneath his fingers. "He's going to be angry that I didn't pick him up from the academy again."

"The . . . academy."

"Yes . . . is there something wrong with my eyes?"

The blonde started to feel uneasy. "No. . . There is nothing wrong with them."

"Do you mind if you take the blindfold off then. I'd like to confirm that you really are Konoha shinobi."

Tsunade motioned for a few guards to enter then nodded the okay to let the blindfold be taken off.

For the first time, Naruto saw what Itachi's eyes looked like without the sharingan looking back at him. They were very similar to Sasuke's but much more concealed with the emotions. He felt Itachi's chakra flare, knowing that he was checking to see if he was in a genjutsu or not. "Can I see him? I was supposed to pick him up from the academy. Did my mother pick him up?"

The captain bit his lip unsure what to say. He didn't know. Know that his family was gone. How was he supposed to explain this to him?

"Why am I restrained? I don't recognize any of you. Could you get Hatake Kakashi? He's my partner or maybe the Sandaime."

"You are restrained because we have reason to believe you might have been under control by an enemy. If you would please be patient Uchiha-san, we'll bring Sasuke and Kakashi for you to talk to after your interrogation with Inoichi. Can you tell us the last thing you remember?"

"I had just dropped Sasuke off at the academy. He just started last month. I was preparing for a mission with Kakashi. We met at the gate and . . . that's all I remember." He looked around one last time at the different masks and unrecognizable faces. "I want to see my father. I don't recognize any of you."

"I'm afraid that will be difficult."

"Why?" He demanded but with a low cold voice. Naruto watch the man close off, become guarded to everyone.

"You believe Sasuke is seven correct?" Tsunade used a soothing tone. A tone Naruto ever heard the woman use in her life. But given the circumstance, it seemed wise not to come off hostile with a man that could put you in a coma with just a stare.

"I know he is. Who are you?"

The woman shook her head. "Sasuke isn't seven anymore. He's twenty-one years old, and the Sandaime died almost 9 years ago."

"You're lying."

Naruto could see the man was about to put up a fight again, so he jumped in. "I'll bring in Kakashi and Inoichi. You know them right? Even if they aged a bit, you would recognize them right?"

Itachi's eyes looked deep into his blue eyes before hesitantly nodding.

"Then it's all settled. I'll bring them in, and you can confirm everything yourself. Then I'll bring Sasuke."

Itachi agreed, but he was still closed off and refused to speak to anyone after that. Naruto got reprimanded for making bargains without Tsunade's consent after they both left the room, being hit upside the head yet again. Luckily, he had gotten off easy since he had defused the situation and got the Uchiha to cooperate. Itachi did however refused to let them blindfold him again. Naruto couldn't blame him since it was his only defense and was still unconvinced he was truly in Konoha. For everything they had prepared for, amnesia was not on the list. How could anyone tell him what he had done? He still believed everyone to be alive and Sasuke to be a child still. The only proof so far that they were able to give him was the mirror they had given Itachi so he could see that he himself was no longer a 13 year old boy but a 22 year old man. The mirror had gotten further cooperation from the man and let him adjust to the information before seeing his old partner and the interrogator.

Naruto waited for Kakashi and Inoichi, getting permission from Tsunade to stand watch and observe the Uchiha. At the sight of Kakashi, Itachi had looked confused and for a moment activated his sharingan, and Kakashi showed him his. They spoke for a while, catching up on some details. The older man skillfully darted the questions about the Uchiha clan, but did mention how the third had died and talked about how Sasuke had been his student and grew up into a fine shinobi.

When Naruto saw Itachi smile at the news, the blonde took a double take to make sure he in fact was not dreaming.

"My father must be really proud." Tension filled the air for the tenth time that hour. It happened every time Itachi mentioned his family, and the oldest Uchiha wasn't oblivious to it either. "He's dead. Isn't he." It wasn't question. No one answered, but it was the same as confirming the news aloud. "How did my parents go?"

"I think it is best to talk to Sasuke about that." The silver-haired man answered smoothly.

Itachi nodded in agreement. "Of course. Can you tell me what happened to me? How I lost almost 14 years of my memory?"

"You should-"

"Ask my brother," he finished. "Seems I have a lot to discuss with my brother since everything is a secret involving my personal life." He looked up at Naruto again. "I'm ready to see Inoichi. I have nothing to hide."

Naruto nodded at Kakashi who took his leave to get the interrogator, leaving the blonde, the raven, and two masked guards.

"I never did get your name."

Naruto didn't answer him. He knew he had a big mouth and was likely to say something he shouldn't. Itachi said nothing after that, catching on to the fact Naruto wasn't ready to speak quite yet, and the blonde couldn't be happier that he wasn't forced to speak and possibly reveal unwanted information. Naruto watched Inoichi and his subordinates come in next. Itachi and Inoichi exchanged words. Inoichi wasn't as pleasant with his greetings as Kakashi had been, and Itachi had picked that up as well. He didn't comment on it though. It seemed the Uchiha knew when not to press something. Naruto could learn from him.

The interrogation didn't last long. Itachi had let him into his mind without resistance, and the information Inoichi had gotten was the first thirteen years of the man's life and a blank after that. Inoichi did have to persuade Itachi to let him see some confidential information from when he was in ANBU, but Tsunade's word had persuaded him quite easily. There also seemed to be no outside influence in his mind either. Itachi was clean for the most part.

When Inoichi left, Naruto was ready to take his leave as well. He had been up for almost 28 hours at this point and Sasuke had been locked in his apartment for 16 hours. Kaksahi should be here with his rival any moment. It was best for him to make himself scarce.

"Could you stay?" the older raven asked when Naruto reached for the door handle.

"I figured you wanted alone time with your brother." Naruto responded, eager to leave.

"I do." He admitted. "But I prefer you over the other guards. The others look at me like a criminal, and I don't know what I did wrong."

It was then that Naruto figured out why Itachi had looked so scared when he had found him. Itachi was mentally only 13 years old. He was still a kid. Sure, he was in ANBU at the time, but he wasn't perfect in sealing off his emotions. No one was. He had no idea where he was, where his little brother was. Sasuke was the one person he would give up everything for. His team, even him the first day, had looked at Itachi with hatred and fear, and the man had no idea why he was so isolated from his village, his family, or his little brother. He had been desperate, afraid, confused, and alone. Without any strength, he fought, so he could at least make sure his brother was okay.

"A lot of things happened the past 14 years, but you didn't do anything wrong." Making his decision, Naruto turned around and took off his mask. He looked at Itachi with a friendly smile. "You've done a lot of good things for the village."

Itachi squinted slightly, studying him. "You look like the fourth." Naruto's grin widened. "Are you Kushina's child?"

"You knew my mother?" Naruto asked shocked. No one really talked about his parents. It was always so hush-hush.

"My mother and Kushina were good friends. I remember that. I was 5 when she died. She was a kind person. Very boisterous as well, but she always made my mother laugh. I wasn't aware that her child survived. Everyone kept her pregnancy a secret, and I never heard anything about the child surviving after the Kyuubi attack."

The blonde's smile faltered a bit. "Yeah, I'm her kid. It's good to hear some good things about her, ya know? No one talks about my parents."

"I think I can relate some. No one seems to be willing to tell me what happened to mine." Itachi gauged Naruto's reaction.

"I can't tell you anything. It's up to Sasuke."

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal the younger raven. Naruto cursed. He had meant to leave before he arrived, but Itachi had asked him so nicely to stay.

Sasuke sent Naruto a cold glare before looking back uncertainly at his brother who didn't look a day over 22 years old. He looked the same age as he did the day he had been killed.

Itachi immediately smiled warmly at him, bringing down his guard and waved him over to his bedside. Sasuke approached the bed, unsure of what he should say or what he should do. As soon as the younger brother was in reach, Itachi brought his pointer and middle fingers up and poked Sasuke's forehead. "Twenty-one years of age and you still fall for it. I wonder about that training you received little brother."

Sasuke threw himself around Itachi, hugging him tightly. Itachi looked surprised, but returned the hug. "As much as I appreciate the sudden affection, you're putting too much pressure on my broken rib."

Naruto never saw Sasuke move so fast. The raven pulled away from Itachi, looking over his brother's wounds. "How are you feeling?"

"I will live. I have been through worse in ANBU. You should know. I have been informed that you are also in ANBU now." He looked Sasuke in the eye. "I'm proud of you."

Sasuke looked at his older brother with a soft smile. He almost looked like a little kid again. "I'm better than you now."

The older Uchiha chuckled. "Let's not get carried away. I do not know what I'm capable of at the moment."

"You don't remember, but I defeated you."

"Is that so? Then perhaps I stand corrected."

"I told you I would get better than you someday."

"So you did." Itachi laid back against his pillows. "I was told you would fill me in on some details."

Conflict emerged in Sasuke's eyes. He had been informed about Itachi's memory loss. "What happened was . . . the Uchihas were targeted by a neighboring country. I was at school when it happened, but they snuck into the village and killed everyone. You were away on a mission, so you escaped too. No one knows how they got in, but there was only a few of them and our clan wasn't expecting it. You were sent out to infiltrate various organizations to try to find out who massacred them, and how they got in. 5 years ago, you were found in a suspended animation jutsu. They just broke it a few days ago. You've been in a coma since."

Naruto didn't say anything about the obvious lie, Sasuke had told. He was sure Itachi wasn't convinced either, but he didn't question. He accepted what his brother had told him. Sasuke filled the time with stories about jutsu's he had learned, a few girls he had dated, and some of the missions he had been on with team 7. Itachi sat quietly, listening to it all and asking questions here and there. There was no question that Sasuke wouldn't take it well if Itachi was imprisoned or killed. He had already accepted him as his brother. Clone or not.

Naruto excused himself after half an hour, making his way outside the room. He hadn't seen Sasuke that lively since their first days at the academy. Sasuke had chosen not to tell Itachi what he had done. What he himself had done for his older brother. He wanted to talk to Sasuke about it. The reaction he was likely to get if he even attempted to approach the raven deterred him. The captain rubbed his eyes wearily.

Tsunade came down soon after to tell him that Sasuke could take his brother home as long as there as a medic in the apartment and guards around the house. Finding the idea a perfect excuse to leave and put up security detail on Sasuke's apartment, kept him going despite his lack of sleep. Anything to take his mind off of how this could hurt Sasuke in the end.

"I take it you know the blonde guard?" Itachi reached for his cup of ice chips. He was dead tired as well, but he didn't want to interrupt his brother's stories. He had missed a lot of Sasuke's life it seemed; however, his body was begging for sleep, and he had been up several hours longer than he would have liked. He wanted to sleep through the pain. The look of annoyance that crossed his brother's face when he asked the question made him a bit more alert.

"I know him," the younger brother grumbled, obviously not wanting to talk about it.

"If I recall, there as a young blonde boy in your academy class. You always came home saying how stupid and annoying he was."

"That's him. Still stupid and annoying, but he's also a low life, back stabbing bastard."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "If I may ask, what happened for him to be all those things?"

"He lied to me about you. He wasn't going to tell me that you were waking up. That you weren't really dead." He grabbed the thin hospital sheets. "He was supposed to be my friend, my captain, and he did this to me."

"Don't tell me you two still aren't together." Amusement pulled at Itachi's lips at the blush and stuttering Sasuke seemed to have developed.

"Wh-what the hell?!"

"Well you have been crushing on him since the academy. I assumed-"

"I do not have a crush on that idiotic, useless, clumsy, dumbass of a captain!" Though he said that, his blush did not go away.

"Interesting," the elder murmured before taking an ice chip into his mouth.

"I told you I dated girls. Why would you think I'm gay?"

"It's nothing Sasuke. Do not worry yourself over it."

Sasuke looked at his brother finally noting how exhausted his brother was. "I should let you rest. You look like death." _Especially since I saw you die once._

"I admit that I am more exhausted then I let on." He looked into Sasuke's eyes one last time. He had no idea he was looking into his own eyes. That Sasuke had selfishly took Itachi's eyes to gain more power. "I apologize that I was not able to be there for you."

"Don't worry about stupid things. Get some rest."

"You too little brother."

Sasuke stayed until he knew his brother was asleep, hoping, praying, that when he came back, Itachi was still here


	8. Sparring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tired. No it's not edited. I just copied and pasted from ff.

"Are you sure you don't need anything else? Your medication? Water? A book?" Sasuke carefully lowered his elder brother onto the large master bed. After getting cleared by the doctor, Sasuke wasted no time in transferring him into the main house, their childhood home. It took him almost two days to convince the hokage to let them have access to the old Uchiha district again. The main house had been closed off since the massacre. After recruiting Sakura and Ino, he managed to get it cleaned up enough to bring his brother home. Sasuke paused on that thought. He never thought he would be saying that, talking about bringing his brother home.

Itachi gave a small sigh at his brother's antics. "I am fine Sasuke. I just need rest. This is not the first time I've been injured."

"You haven't been home in almost 14 years."

"Don't you have to go to work today?"

"The captain gave me some time off."

The elder Uchiha watched his brother busy himself by putting clothes he had bought away. Itachi let the silence and the tension build before finally speaking. "I do have one request."

"What is that?" Sasuke asked eagerly.

"I am well aware that I am not clear of suspicion for whatever reasons the village have of whatever makes them doubt my loyalty, and I am aware that there are ANBU stationed around the house. I would feel more comfortable if I were able to see my guards. I have a feeling that blonde captain of yours will be one of the guards assigned to watch me. I would feel better if he was in the house as a guest in exchange for calling off some of the guards outside."

Sasuke stared at his brother, his face completely blank. The tick of the clock was the only noise. Itachi just sat patiently waiting for his brother to speak. Slowly, the younger Uchiha opened his mouth to answer. "You want . . . my captain . . . to live with us while you're under observation."

"Why not? He is your captain and classmate. I am sure he has interesting stories about your childhood, and I would like to know such an important person in my brother's life."

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why not?" He asked acting completely oblivious to his younger brother's discomfort.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. He couldn't give him any good excuse that he hadn't already given. His brother seemed to have taken a liking to the blonde. He had no idea why. "I would prefer him not to, that's all."

Itachi sighed a little louder this time. "Little brother, I am not oblivious to the fact that you did not tell me the whole truth. " Guilt passed over Sasuke's face, but Itachi pushed on. "You're trying to protect me from something, and it's probably about how the Uchiha clan really met their end. I notice how they look at you and I." His tone was gentle and not accusing in any way. "I would feel more comfortable if the one person who doesn't look at you like a criminal was to stay and watch us instead of ones who have already decided we are guilty."

It was Sasuke's turn to sigh and sit on the edge of the bed. "I could never hide anything from you."

"Truthfully, I am happy that has not changed since my absence. Everything is very different than what I remember."

"Things aren't that different." Sasuke paused as he thought more about it. The village had been destroyed and rebuilt, the hokage had changed, Danzo was gone and the Foundation with him, their family was gone, and there was an alliance between the five major shinobi villages. Practically nothing that his brother was used to was still intact. He could imagine how he would react to this, angry, frustrated, maybe even thinking it was all a dream, but his brother showed no such emotions. And despite the fact they were almost equal in age, Itachi easily claimed the role of older brother and Sasuke the younger. He always admired that about Itachi, the ability to stay calm and guide him through situations. He was always quick to lose his head and his temper and Kami knew how often that got him into trouble. "Okay, so things are completely different. We'll figure something out Nii-san."

"I am not worried about that. All things considered, I have been through much worse. I am just glad to see you have grown up so well." Itachi closed his eyes. "Now about your blonde. . ."

"What about him? . . . And he isn't my blonde."

The elder Uchiha chuckled. "Took you a moment did it?"

"Shut up!" Sasuke's cheeks were tinged pink as he protested. His brother only continued to smile as the young raven protested more.

Eventually, the strain from the activity couldn't be hidden as his breathing became labored and pain became increasingly visible on the corners of his eyes. "I'll leave you to rest. I'll be out in a bit, but a medic should be by to check up on you. If you need anything though, just tell her and she'll-"

"Sasuke, I will be alright. Go ahead and do what you need to do."

Worry was written all over the young raven, from the crease between his eyebrows to the inability to stay still. If he wasn't changing where he had his hands, he was changing his posture. He caught himself though and forced himself to stand still which proved to be difficult than he had planned, and he was aware that his older brother was watching him, knowing he wasn't as calm as he tried to appear to be. "I'll be back in an hour." With that, he made a hasty exit.

One thing was certain, the Uchiha was not ready to confront the blonde for a personal request. It was one thing to deal with him professionally, it was another to make it personal after he had tried to punch his face in without an apology. And he wasn't going to apologize. He had every right to be angry in his book. Naruto had been more trouble than he was worth the past few months. It seemed like every personal visit ended up with them fighting lately. Their teammates could feel the tension too. He knew it was bad when it started to leak into their professional life.

Mentally, he knew Naruto did what he was supposed to do. All missions were confidential especially when it came to the Uchiha clan massacre. He should be grateful it was Naruto who took the mission instead of another. Anyone else would have killed his brother, Naruto had brought him back instead. He should consider himself lucky. However he was finding it difficult getting past that Naruto hadn't gone against the rules to inform him.

Fortunately, no matter how angry they were at each other, they still fought in sync as if they were one person, reading each other movements, never needing to communicate to know what the other was thinking, so their arguments never affected their work.

It had been a while since they had fought together, or even sparred together. Sasuke supposed that was to be expected. Between Naruto's sudden interest in solo missions and Sasuke being pissed at and weary of him, they hadn't had time. So when he found himself in front of Naruto's apartment door, he wondered when was the last time he had come here just to hang out and be friends. He wasn't angry about that night anymore. He had forgiven the blonde since it happened several months ago now, but he was hesitant to be alone with him again. The strange thing was, it wasn't because he was nervous Naruto might snap again or even hit on him. He didn't know what was holding him back.

A scowl tugged at his mouth. He wasn't afraid of anything. Let alone some dead last from his graduating class. Pulling himself together, he brought his fist up to bang on the door.

Naruto opened the door, dressed in his ANBU gear and his mask off to the side. "I can't talk long Teme. I'm on duty in half an hour." He stepped away from the doorway to allow Sasuke entrance. The raven didn't enter. He was too busy focusing on the dark bruises on Naruto's face."

"I just had a favor to ask," he didn't mean to ask slowly but the tanned face was very distracting. "Did you . . . get into a fight recently?"

A crooked grin looked back at him. "You did this to me remember?"

"No, you would have healed by now."

His crooked grin, looked grimmer now, but he kept trying to sell it. "Kurama's power is on lock down until he comes up with a better excuse."

"What do you mean?"

Deciding to change the subject, Naruto asked, "What was this favor you wanted?"

Sasuke didn't miss the abrupt change of subject, but let it slide for now. He'd corner him eventually. "I wanted to ask if you would consider being a live in guard in exchange for lightening up the security outside the house."

"Why do I have a feeling it's not your idea to have me live with you?"

"You're not living with me. You would be doing your mission in your target's living quarters."

The blonde chuckled. "Really? So I'm guessing this is Itachi's idea."

"Yeah," he answered reluctantly.

Naruto took the time to consider before finally giving him a flat out no.

"No, what do you mean no?"

"Don't you understand Japanese? I said no as in, I will not 'do my mission in my target's living quarters' as you so nicely put it."

"Why the hell not?!"

"It wouldn't be professional considering I am your friend and could already be considered compromised just being involved in all this."

"Okay, I understand that. Now what's your real reason?"

"There is no real reason."

"Bullshit. You could give a rat's ass about professionalism. You set a prank in Kakashi's bedroom just yesterday!"

Surprise overtook the blonde, not expecting the raven to have known about that. Seriously, did Kakashi get a kick out of telling everyone everything that Naruto did? Besides, he had set it for Iruka anyway. "That was not work related."

"Just admit that you have another reason for not taking the offer."

"Maybe I just don't want to take the offer. I do have a life outside of you, you know."

"Really? What life do you have exactly? All you've been doing lately is going on solo missions which according to you, you only take because they are involved with me, and on your off times, you're catching up with sleep and treating injuries."

His blue eyes darkened. "I think you should leave Teme. Not everything revolves around you. And if you must know, I have a date tonight which is why I declined your offer. If it goes well, I might go out again, and I can't do that if I'm a live in guard."

Naruto might have laughed at the shock on Sasuke's face if he wasn't so angry. "I'll see you at the team meeting tomorrow." The door slammed shut with enough force to make the frame shutter for a few good seconds afterwards. If Sasuke hadn't taken a reflexive step back, he might have had to go to the hospital to have his nose fixed. Still, he didn't know why Naruto having a date was such a shock. Maybe it would be a nice girl, and he wouldn't have to worry about the blond being a homo. Even if it was another guy, why did it matter to him? It would mean he wouldn't be at the receiving end of unwanted attention. So why the hell was he so frustrated?!

He had been walking home when he ran into them. Ino and Sakura were quite the formidable pair when they put their minds together, and their friendship was either welcomed or feared. If you pissed one off, the other was likely to come after you when you weren't looking. It was amazing how well their relationship became after they stopped crushing over the same guy. Sakura was now dating Sai, and Ino was happily single, though Choji had started making advances recently. She hadn't turned him down yet, so who knew what would become of that. It was to his misfortune that they saw him. He didn't know what happened. He had been walking home, minding his own business and thinking how he was going to tell his injured brother that his offer had been declined without adding to the man's stress when they came up behind him, matching him step by step, linked their arms with his, and started to walk in a different direction, dragging their prisoner with them.

He felt the vein in his forehead pulse angrily. He didn't even know where to start. He reserved his yelling for Naruto; not that yelling at them would do anything now that they weren't head over heels for him anymore, so he decided a more calm approach. "What are you doing?" his voice was tight as he spoke, trying to remember not to hit girls when they weren't an "actual" threat to him. At this point he was trying to remember what qualified as an actual threat.

"Intervention," they answered together, offering no more of an explanation. Sasuke didn't bother to ask any more questions. He doubted they would do any real harm, and once these two put their minds together, it was just better to go with it. At least he learned one thing about women from dating these two.

They brought him to Ino's house, going through the flower shop and up the back stair to the living space above. He was deposited onto a couch. It felt weird to be in his ex girlfriend's house. He rarely entered when they were dating. Ino left to bring some tea and snacks, while Sakura kept guard to make sure he didn't escape. How sad was it that he was practically kidnapped by two women? And was it worse that he didn't fight it?

Ino placed the tea in front of him before taking her seat next to Sakura and opposite of Sasuke. They both waited for him to drink the tea. Well he couldn't say they were cruel kidnappers. He took his cup, swirling the tea and smelling it, checking for any drugs or poison. You never could be too careful around them. Still, they waited patiently, which was odd for them, before taking a sip.

"We brought you here today Sasuke-kun, because Sakura and I think that an intervention is necessary between you and Naruto." The pink haired kunoichi nodded in agreement to Ino's words. "This is on behalf of all our friends."

"In short, you both are driving us up a wall, and it needs to stop." Sakura cut in with a less diplomatic approach.

"I don't see how the dobe's and my business has anything to do with all of you." Sasuke replied sourly.

"You're kidding right? Both of you have been short tempered, withdrawn, and don't even get us started on the reckless behavior." Ino rolled her eyes.

"Point is, we are here to remind you how good you have it together. This feud between you two have been going on for months. It's got to stop."

"You have no idea what's been going on."

Ino and Sakura looked at each other uncertainly before Sakura replied. "Actually we do."

The raven chocked on his tea as his face turned pink. "How do you know?"

"We only found out recently through Rock Lee, who heard it from Gai, who overheard Kakashi talking to Iruka one night."

So once again, his problems lead back to Kakashi. Maybe he should do himself a favor and get rid of that bas-

"So everyone knows what happened, and Naruto's been beating himself up about it since it happened. I mean we would be angry about it, but . . . well you've seen him, and we don't want to push him even harder."

"Wait, so you're telling me everyone knows what's been going on the last three months."

"Well ye-"

"Goddammit!"

"Look, Naruto is an idiot. He's rash and doesn't think anything through, but he usually has everyone's best intention at heart. He would never hurt you under normal circumstances." Ino spoke up trying to calm him.

"He did. He kept my brother hidden from me."

"He was under orders," Sakura snapped. "Surely, you understand that. He wanted to tell you, but he was afraid it wasn't really him. Do you really think Naruto would want to get your hopes up, then be forced to kill who you thought was your brother? You have already seen your brother die twice, and you even vowed revenge against the leaf because of him."

Sasuke quieted down. They were right of course, and he had known that, but it was much easier to be angry and have an outlet for the emotions he was feeling after learning of his brother's existence.

"I'm not angry about three months ago, haven't been since a few weeks after he went missing." He then went over their strained relationship and how Naruto had declined the invitation to be a live in guard. He didn't know why he bothered to talk about his problems. Maybe he was tired of being angry all the time, maybe he missed his relationship with his friend, maybe it was because everyone already knew most of the details already, or maybe there was something in the damn tea. He didn't know, but he did feel a bit better getting it off his chest. It had been bubbling underneath the surface for months.

The two women nodded in understanding as if the situation was perfectly clear. "You really are dense." Ino sighed.

"How did I become the dense one?" It wasn't the response Sasuke had expected, and it annoyed him.

"She's right. Look at it at Naruto's point of view. You had rejected his advances. God knows he's been in love with you since we were kids. It's probably really hard for him to accept, and the last time he saw you, he violated your trust and had his face beaten in which, by the way, he refused to let me finish healing. And the second to last time before that when you were alone with him, he had also violated your trust. He must feel like shit. Then you come up to him, without an apology might I add or any concern, to ask him to practically move in with you. I know it's only temporary, but he's in love so that's a huge deal to be living with you. He doesn't trust himself not to take advantage of it, so of course he declined. He did it for you."

"That idiot is not in love with me anymore. As he put it, his life does not revolve around me, and he has a date tonight." He sounded almost bitter.

Ino and Sakura shared a look. Whatever passed between them, he never got to find out. "Sasuke, Naruto's life has always revolved around you. When we were kids at the academy, his only goal was to get you to acknowledge him. When you left, he beat himself up for not being able to stop you. He left to train for two years to get stronger just to bring you back. After everyone gave up on you, he was the only one willing to lower his head and beg for the Kages to spare you. He was willing to fight to the death with you to free you from the darkness and hatred that had consumed you, and he's shielded you from the worst the villagers and other shinobi had tried to throw at you after you returned. Believe us, he's still in love with you, and he won't ever stop. This guilt he's feeling has been eating away at him. We all noticed it. The long hours, the way he's been avoiding you, avoiding us in the long run, and the solo missions. We're worried. And we know you are too." Sakura reached out to touch his hand.

Sasuke resigned knowing she was right. He had noticed it, and he had been worried, but his anger kept him from acting on it. "Alright. What should I do then?"

"Spar of course." The women answered in complete unison. It was actually a bit creepy.

"How will that help?"

Ino smiled. "You never seen each other spar before have you?" Ino got up to grab a videotape from her bag. "We recently installed video cameras in some of the sparring rooms for shinobi who want to analyze their sessions afterwards. Someone accidentally taped one of your matches." She put the tape into the VCR.

Sasuke watched himself and Naruto get into it. It was strange to watch himself on the screen with Naruto. Had they always moved like that together? So gracefully, like a dance almost. He knew he could read the blonde's movements with the sharingan as the blond could read his movements through experience of fighting him so often, but it seemed almost rehearsed, too perfect, moving before, the sharingan could tell him anything, Naruto reacting, in kind whether to support his attacks when working together or countering them when opponents. He never noticed before. Naruto was always there where he needed him. There was no communication between them, no body language, he just knew, and Sasuke seemed to do the same thing when it as his turn to be relied on. Their attacks complimented each other, and they canceled each other out. Naruto fought like the wind, unpredictable, strong, unrelenting, and gathered momentum just as Sasuke fought like his lighting, fast, sharp, and focused. It was . . . beautiful for lack of a better word. The way they fought together, against one another. And their faces when they fought was one at peace, all problem of the outside world gone as they enjoyed the company of the other, trying to best one another.

"When you two fight, you don't need words. You understand one another. Both you and Naruto said that years ago remember? When two shinobi reach a certain level, when they clash, they can read what's in one another's heart. Well for you two, that's true. Kami knows that you two fail at talking so do the next best thing. Fight. You two are good at that." Sakura smiled at him.

Sasuke watched the fight a little longer, noting that a blind spot he hadn't noticed before. "I have to go." He muttered, standing up in a hurry and heading for the door.

"He's at the ramen stand. He's always there before a shift." The blonde woman called out as Sasuke left.

"I never realized how oblivious he was until now." Sakura sighed, looking at the television again.

"You mean the fact that he still doesn't realize how deeply in love he is in with Naruto?"

Sakura nodded. Sasuke seemed to completely miss how they looked at each other when they fought. There was love there and admiration. Both she and Ino realized it when they were dating him. "Maybe he won't know until we tell him."

"Sasuke-kun doesn't do well with confrontation. He would freak out." Ino poured herself some tea.

"That's true, but everyone in the village knows it. I heard even Itachi realized it after he woke up, and Naruto is oblivious that his love interest is interested back."

"But that's Naruto. He's always oblivious." The both nodded in agreement that time. "At least Kakashi-sensei got them to notice one another, so it wasn't a complete waste."

"We still don't condone the whole drug thing out loud even if it got Sasuke's head out of his ass though right?"

"Of course not. We had no idea about it." Sakura smile took a slightly evil turn.

Ino mirrored her smile, "Of course."

+

Naruto was where they said he was, sitting at the ramen stand with two bowls of ramen. Strange, he usually had five . . . why did Sasuke know his eating habits?

"Come on Naruto-kun, cheer up. We even gave you a free bowl." Ayame was leaning over the counter, frowning. "You hardly ate anything."

"I told you Ayame, I decided to cut back on the salt that's all. I promised my mom a while back to start eating better, so I thought why not start now." Naruto sighed when Ayame gave him her 'I'm calling bullshit', look. "I'm just not that hungry."

"Ah, the Uchiha again." When Naruto grimaced, she knew she was right. "You two have the weirdest relationship. What did he do this time?"

"I never said it was his fault," the blonde protested.

"It's always his fault, except that one time when it wasn't."

"How exactly is it always my fault?" Both Ayame and Naruto whipped their heads around to see the approaching raven. Ayame blushed in embarrassment and turned her back to him, pretending to cook something. Naruto just looked annoyed.

"Are you stalking me now? " Naruto joked, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Dark eyes bore into the blonde until Naruto couldn't sit still under his intense stare. Finally and abruptly, Sasuke spoke. "Let's spar."

He received a dumbfounded stare at his request. "Wha-?"

"Let's spar," Sasuke said very slowly, watching the blonde's face become angry.

"I'm not slow, Teme. I heard you the first time. Why the hell do you want to spar with me now? I have to start on my shift in a few minutes."

"I got Kakashi to cover for you until we had our match as an apology for giving you something so dangerous, and he won't add any additional stress to my brother's condition as he knows the truth and my brother knows him. We have 3 hours"

Naruto opened his mouth and judging from his expression he was going to decline him yet again, but one look from Ayame had him sighing and agreeing to meet him at the training grounds in 10 minutes.

Naruto's heart fluttered when he saw his rival smile at him and looking almost relieved. "I'll see you there."

As Naruto watch the raven leave, he couldn't help but curse at himself. He was being pulled back in if such a small smile made his heart pound, and it hurt him to know that the closest thing he'll get to holding the raven again was in a hold during their sparring matches. "What the hell am I doing?" He whispered. Looking at his ramen, he pushed the second bowl away and ate the first one quickly, so he could meet Sasuke on time.

+

"Damn, I think you dislocated my shoulder." Naruto whined, sprawling out onto the grass near the lake.

"Don't be a baby. You should have been focusing on the match." Both Sasuke and Naruto were covered in sweat and bruises and a few shallow cuts, but overall Sasuke thought the match went well. Both were able to work out their frustrations, falling into the rhythm of the match with ease once they got into it. At the beginning of the match, Sasuke had gotten distracted a few times when he thought Naruto was holding onto him longer than necessary which caused his heart to skip a beat. That might have been a part of his imagination though. After a while, he stopped being aware of every little touch Naruto made with him and ignored that his heart had done anything weird to begin with.

Sasuke approached, ready to help pop the blonde's shoulder back into place. He hadn't been prepared for Naruto to grab onto his ankles, pull him down, and roll into the lake. When they reached the surface, Sasuke looked like a wet cat scrambling back onto shore. He was ready to snap and snarl at his captain, but the sound of the blonde's laughing stopped him. It had been too long since the raven had heard that laugh. He bit down his words and smirked in return. "I take it your shoulder is fine then?"

"No, it's really dislocated, but the pain was worth it." Naruto clutched his stomach as he gasped for air. "Teme, you should have seen yourself. You look like a wet cat!"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Dobe." Everything felt like it went back to normal. All the tension between them only an increasingly distant memory. So Sasuke didn't think anything of it when he pulled off his wet shirt and pants hoping to ring them out, before heading home. He hadn't noticed that Naruto's laughter died, or feel the blue eyes looking him over.

Naruto coughed, forcing himself to look away. "Teme, can you put your clothes back on."

It took a moment to realize why Naruto had asked that. He was always used to Naruto's gaze when he had undressed before, so he hadn't noticed it this time either or what it meant until now. Suddenly, the raven realized why Naruto had said it was partially his fault. He was always doing things like this in the past. It was hard not to during a mission, but at home, there was no professionalism in the way, just temptation.

The raven muttered an apology, putting his cold and wet clothes back on and trying to hide his blush. As he redressed, Naruto went to his pack, pulling out his spare swear pants and shirt. "Here, it would be stupid if you got sick because of this." He extended the clothes toward his rival without looking at him.

Sasuke took the clothes if just to make Naruto a little happier. "I'm . . . sorry, for giving you that offer earlier."

"Sasuke, you are one of the most oblivious people I know. I'm used to it. I know you didn't mean any harm." Naruto was still facing the tree to give Sasuke some privacy to change into the dry clothes. "And I'm sorry for blackmailing you into sleeping with me. I really thought that maybe . . . maybe you felt something for me too and needed an excuse to act on it, but I was wrong. You never planned to keep that promise anyway, so you can forget about it." Naruto smiled. "You probably forgot about it anyway, so that's not a big deal. You were right. I need to get over you. You made it clear you don't want to be my boyfriend. I shouldn't pursue you anymore. That's why I got myself a date."

The Uchiha cleared his throat, letting Naruto know he could look. "So . . . who's your date?"

"Hinata. I was surprised she said yes. I thought she was dating Kiba."

"You two will make a good couple." Sasuke responded. He was certain that Hinata was dating Kiba too. She hadn't been on his list of possible candidates. Did they break up? "It will be good for you."

"I guess it will be. She's nice." And that as all he really could say about her. He didn't love her, but she was always on his side. If he had to choose someone else to date, Hinata was the logical choice. "It would be my first date so wish me luck."

"You would need it. How can it be your first date yet you weren't a virgin before?"

Naruto blushed. "That is none of your business, Teme!"

When Naruto and Sasuke parted ways, the raven found himself in a sour mood. He couldn't explain why. He just knew that he was in a bad mood after talking to Naruto about his date. He should be happy, so why wasn't he? He had suggested Hinata in the past after all.

Sasuke entered his family home to the sound of Kakashi and Itachi talking and chuckling about something. Probably about him. He decided to leave them alone and hide in his old room. It had been a long time since he had used this room. He had avoided going back there as long as possible and left it untouched when he, Ino, and Sakura had cleaned the rest of the house. There was a healthy layer of dust on everything, as well as cobwebs and debris. Silently, he got to work cleaning, grabbing a broom, a scrub brush, a bucket of water, and a rag. He wouldn't admit that he was trying to keep busy, trying to ignore that feeling in his chest as he scrubbed the floor clean. For some reason, he hoped that Naruto's date would go badly.


	9. Boom!

"Thanks Hinata-chan. I had fun tonight." Naruto stopped just outside the gate to the main Hyuuga house. "Maybe we can do this again sometime?"

Hinata stood before him, blushing lightly and looking down at the ground. "I had fun tonight too Naruto-kun." She answered quietly. "But I can't."

Naruto smiled sadly. "It was the food wasn't it? I knew I should have taken you to get ramen instead of trying something new."

"N-n-no that's not it, Naruto-kun. I-it's just that I am already seeing Kiba . . ."

Shock was his first reaction then slowly, he nodded in understanding. "So it was a pity date."

"I thought perhaps . . . y-you needed someone to talk to . . . about Sasuke-kun."

His blue eyes studied her intently before sighing. "Who else knows and how much?"

"E-everyone kn-knows the basics of what h-happened."

Another loud sigh escaped him as he leaned against the gate. "I can only imagine what you think of me. How everyone must think of me."

"No one blames you N-naruto-kun."

"Then who is? Sasuke?" He snapped at the dark haired girl, causing her to flinch. His features softened. "I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"It's okay. I understand. N-no one blames you for what you did. I don't mean to say th-they approve, but they don't think any worse of you."

"Well they should. I attacked him. Why should anyone take my side?"

"I think. . . it's because they haven't forgiven Sasuke-kun, not completely. H-he hurt all of us, but he hurt you the most. S-sasuke-kun, may have been i-informed about how hard you worked to get him back and how much p-pain you went through, but he never saw it. N-not like us. I think it is easier to blame Sasuke because of it especially when you're the one hurting in the e-end."

The blonde look up at Hinata, smiling gently at her. "I think this is the most I've heard you talk at one time." He watched the girl turn bright red before chuckling. "It's still my fault. I betrayed his trust."

"Y-you are a good person Naruto-kun. I'm sure Sasuke-kun kn-knows that too. B-b-better than anyone."

"I wish I fell in love with you Hinata-chan. You've always been there for me. Even when I was oblivious of your affections." He laughed. "I guess karma's a bitch since that's kind of how Sasuke is with me. Still, even when the village hated me, you were always so kind to me. I hate to admit it, but I'm always afraid that with any mistake I make everyone will turn on me again." He lifted his hands to look at them. They trembled slightly. "Just the thought scares me. To be shunned again all because I was stupid enough to give into temptation not only once, but to blackmail him the second time. How could I be so goddamn weak willed?"

"I admit I-I was surprised that you were in l-l-love with Sasuke-kun and that you . . . took advantage of his drunken state. I didn't know what to think, but some part of Sasuke-kun must have understood that you weren't yourself. He's still friends with you, and he doesn't seem to blame you. He was the most worried out of all of us when you disappeared."

"And that's what's so confusing!" Naruto said exasperated. "He gives out mixed signals. I was so sure he felt something for me. I mean, why would he forgive me? Why would my leaving be blackmail to him? I know I am his friend, but there are limits, ya know? I've crossed them, but he keeps coming back acting like nothing is wrong. I don't get it. I've tried to move on in the past too, but then he does some self sacrificing stunt or he says something that makes my heart want to beat out of my chest, and he pulls me back in. I don't know how much more I can take."

"S-so what will you do Naruto-kun?"

"If I can't move on from him soon . . . I think I should leave like I had planned until I am. I don't trust myself around him."

Hinata took his hand into hers. "If you think it is best, th-then you should do it, just know that we're all h-here for you."

Naruto clasped her hand. "Thank you Hinata-chan. You're right. I needed to get this off my chest. Thank you for listening."

She smiled shyly at him. "I am glad I could help." Before she lost her nerve, Hinata kissed his cheek. Naruto stared at her wide eyed as she turned a bright red. "I-I always w-w-wanted to d-do that. I-it's cl-cl-closure."

"In that case," he smiled back at her. "I'm glad I can help." He kissed her cheek. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Naruto-kun."

Naruto waited until she was within the safety of the walls surrounding the main house before he left. She had been the first and only one he told about his idea of taking up Gaara's offer. He didn't know how he felt about people knowing kind of what happened between him and Sasuke. It seemed like to them it was more of a both drunk and Sasuke regretted the next morning type thing instead of Naruto really forcing himself on him, but even that much sat unwell with him. Even though it was just his closest friends who knew, and he knew they wouldn't tell anyone else outside their group, he still felt ashamed. He didn't want them to know. Only Gaara really knew the whole truth, and he was the only one Naruto wanted to know. He knew the man wouldn't judge him, not when the Kazekage himself had a long list of transgressions, and he felt the red head was the only one who really understood what he was feeling. Leaving on good terms with Sasuke before he screwed up again sounded like a better idea.

Growling slightly, he brought his hands up, hitting both sides of his face simultaneously. "No time to get depressed. Get a hold of yourself Naruto." Besides, his three day shift would start in 12 hours. He didn't have time to be distracted. He would sleep, eat, then go watch Sasuke and his brother from the bushes . . .that didn't sound stalkerish to him at all.

Naruto climbed the stairs to his apartment, feeling a bit lighter after his talk with Hinata and his own little pep talk to himself. When he entered the apartment however, the mood disappeared, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something was off. His eyes scanned the apartment, seeing not one thing out of place since he had left, but somehow he knew something was amiss. This, honestly, caused him to become even more alert. If it was a prank by some kids, or Kakashi, something would be out of place. He knew his apartment well and could notice when even one article of clothing out of place or, in Kakashi's case, he would have tripped the trap by now. He went through his things, his bathroom and the rest of the apartment for any deadly traps. He could not find a single thing wrong.

Maybe he was just paranoid. He had expected Sasuke to exact his revenge the month he had first come back from his trip from Suna. So maybe his nerves were just frazzled a bit from the sparring earlier and seeing Sasuke half dressed. He let himself linger on the memory of a half dressed Sasuke. Sure, he had seen him naked several times, but the raven's body always seemed to intrigue him every time.

After a while of fruitless searching, he was hungry once again, so the ANBU decided to eat the leftovers he had brought home from the restaurant instead of his usual bowl of instant ramen. Giving up his search and chalking it up to just him being restless, he pulled out his rarely used plates. He only decided to get plates because Sasuke had insisted that he was not eating instant ramen every time he came over. When he picked up the plate, the little warning bells in the back of his mind started ringing again. He looked at the plate. The plate looked normal enough. He went to set the plate down and reached for another one, unable to shake the bad feeling about it when he felt Kyuubi's chakra flare. He didn't get the chance to ask why. Pain enveloped his body, starting from the fingers and rapidly spreading to his organs. It felt like his insides were being eaten alive and melting simultaneously, needles jabbing into every inch of his skin, his brain ready to just explode out of his skull. He had felt this pain once before, but it was much more tame compared to this. He never wanted to die before just to stop the pain, but he did recognize the agony. He couldn't concentrate on that particular train of thought as he could only focus on his body being ripped to shreds from the inside out.

The pain kept growing, and he could feel Kurama's chakra pushing back. He could hear himself screaming, louder and louder though it seemed more distant with each passing second as if his mind was separating from his body, like he was observing rather than feeling it himself. The pain became so much that he could no longer scream in agony. His mouth was open but no sound escaped, he couldn't breathe. He couldn't bring himself to take a breath through his suffering. Soon after that, everything went black.

+

When Naruto regained consciousness, he felt numb for the most part bother physically and mentally. The other part just felt extremely nauseous. He struggled to open his eyes. He managed to get them opened only to be forced to shut them again, the overhead light from the hospital overpowering his vision, making it blur.

"Take it easy, Dobe. " Sasuke's familiar voice filtered through his ringing ears. He decided to brave the light again, opening them slower this time to let them adjust. His eyes felt dry and scratchy, but seeing Sasuke's face made the discomfort worth it.

"What happened?" Naruto asked. He didn't recognize his own voice and his throat felt like it was on fire from the attempt to speak louder than a whisper.

The raven must have noticed his discomfort though because he turned around to grab a cup of water with a bendy straw in it. He helped Naruto lean forward, using his hand to support his head. The water was a welcome relief and aided in soothing his throat. When he finished, Sasuke laid him back down against the pillow.

"One of your neighbors heard you screaming and decided to check up on you. She called Tsunade after that. According to Sakura, you should have gone into cardiac arrest by the time they arrived, but Kyuubi seemed to have been keeping the poison away from your heart. It seemed like you already had a slight immunity to that poison though otherwise even the nine tails power wouldn't have had a chance."

"Yeah, I do. Aburame poison. Deadly and rare insect. Accidentally got stung." It hurt just to keep his sentences short, but Naruto kept muscling through. "Must been . . . 10 times . . . that amount." Naruto was going to gesture to the water again, but Sasuke had already grabbed it and held it out for him.

"Tsunade knows. She was livid. She sent a team to investigate the Aburame clan on who wanted to kill you. Turned out that someone had broken into their main house and stole a bottle of the poison and replaced it with a fake." Sasuke took a seat.

Naruto noticed that Sasuke was keeping a professional tone as he was relaying the events as if he was giving a debriefing. It was too weird when he was laying in the hospital bed, loaded up on so many pain killers that the dim hospital lights seemed blinding still. Deciding to save his vision, he closed his eyes again. "When . . . get out." He winced again.

"Don't talk Dobe. It's obviously uncomfortable for you." Sasuke replied annoyed, but still picked up the papers Tsunade had left behind. "Full recovery expected, no major damages, avoid straining your heart for the next couple days, can go home in a few hours on orders of strict bed rest." He scoffed at the last part. "Like you could sit still for longer than a few minutes. "

"Why are you here?"

Sasuke glared at him for speaking again, but still humored the blonde and answered his question. "I came because Sakura was in hysterics. That's all."

Naruto braved the light one more time taking in his appearance. Sasuke looked tired, his hair was messier than usual, and his clothes were wrinkled, and the blonde could swear they were from yesterday. Given Sasuke's perfectionist nature, he wouldn't be caught dead looking like that in public. Sakura must have been one special girl if he was willing to come out like that for her. Jealousy swelled in his chest. It didn't last long as the pain meds took a toll on him and lulled him back into unconsciousness, leaving Sasuke to watch over him.

A few hours later, he was awake and good to go. Tsunade argued about having guards set on him to be safe. Thanks to his newly found diplomacy skills, courtesy of Gaara, and two jugs of sake, he was free to go home on strict bed rest. Despite that he had been poisoned and almost died 16 hours ago, he was quite happy. Regardless of the reasons Sasuke had come to the hospital, he had sat by him and entertained him with a game of go while they both waited for Naruto to be released. To Sasuke's quiet surprise, Naruto was actually a decent player, to his amazement, it was the blonde's first real game of go, and to his frustration, he found out later Naruto just moved random pieces which always seemed to work out in his captains favor. Funny how life always seemed to do that for the blonde.

Still, he should get something for the raven, he thought as he walked back to his apartment. Sasuke had left the hospital earlier to attend to his brother, telling the blonde to go straight home, no detours. Sasuke looked so serious that Naruto worried if his gaze would set something, or him, on fire.

Thankfully, nothing spontaneously combusted, so he was currently walking down the busy market in the middle of town, taking the long way home to avoid bed rest as long as possible. That's when he saw the bookstore. It was Sasuke's favorite store. He used to come to the store all the time as a kid before he left the village. Nowadays it, was difficult to go into an enclosed public area with the villagers and sometimes, the raven was refused service. When Sasuke was denied service to the bookstore, it had been one of the few times the Uchiha had let his frustration show. Thanks to Shikamaru however, Sasuke and the young genius managed to set up a system for Sasuke to get his books anonymously and before they even came open to the public.

Seeing a poster for a new book of a series Naruto knew Sasuke liked, he went inside to talk to the owner to see if he could get it two days prior the actual release date. Sometimes being the village hero did have perks. The owner agreed happily and told Naruto he would leave the book in a brown box outside the store for him to pick up before dawn. It would be convenient for Naruto since he was on his way to work around that time.

Having paid for the book, he left the store. There was nothing wrong with giving a friend a thank you gift, Naruto tried to convince himself. Just a random present between friends, not just because he liked him.

His trip home was uneventful and new security had been added around his house which proved to be very annoying when it kept denying him access to his own house 5 times before someone came to actually input Naruto's chakra signature into the barrier. Inside wasn't much better. Every item had been thoroughly checked for any more poison or traps that might have been laying in wait. It took him almost two hours to put everything back into its proper place. By the time he was finished, he was ready to just pass out onto his bed. He was still off duty for another day, so he might as well catch up on his sleep. Without bothering to change out of his clothes, he collapsed onto his bed falling asleep.

+

Naruto was up by four am. Well rested and just a bit antsy from yesterday's events, he was ready to go check in on the guards at his favorite Uchiha's house for a status update. He felt a bit bad that someone had to take his place yesterday and today. The feeling passed when the guy who took his place was a complete jackass though. He couldn't wait to get back at him when he least expected it. No one foulmouthed Sasuke in front of him.

The village was just beginning to awake as he made his trip to the bookstore. Store owners prepared to open for business, cleaning, preparing food, and/or setting out their goods. The bookstore was one of the few places that opened a little later than most stores as the owner was in his late 80s, and early mornings were hard on him, so it was quiet in front of the wooden building. As promised the brown box was waiting just off to the side of the front entrance, just under the stand used to display books outside. He couldn't help but grin as he trotted over to pick the package up. As he picked it up, he noticed the invisible wire and the explosive tag just as it ignited.

+

"YOU STUPID IDIOTIC BRAT WHO DARES TO CALL HIMSELF A SHINOBI! ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME DIE FROM A HEART ATTACK!" The big busted, blonde hokage strangled the young man in front of her as her assistants tried to pry her off. Tanned skin turned to blue before she released her victim, watching in satisfaction as the young shinobi gasped for air. "How could you almost die twice in less than 48 hours?"

"I-I didn't." Naruto managed to get out through his crushed windpipe. "You did more damage than the damn tag you old bat."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" Sakura and the other assistants held down the Fifth before she could really kill the man in front of her.

"I'm fine, just a few bruises. Kurama's cloak protected me from the major damage. It wasn't until you came running in where I needed medical attention!"

"Why I outghta-"

"Tsunade-sama, the elders want to speak to you," Sai interrupted her, before she could really kill Naruto that time. She had seemed rather close to it before.

Naruto silently prayed thank you to whatever god was looking out for him. He hadn't been kidding. He received only minor injuries from the explosion and thankfully no bystanders were hurt, but he ended up with much worse when Tsunade came changing down to the crime scene and tried to beat him to a bloody pulp. Apparently, one of the villagers sent word to her when they saw him get caught in the explosion.

Sai came further into the room after the Godaime's rather loud departure followed by Kiba and Shikamaru. "Great you guys are here. Have you found out who's been trying to kill me already?"

Kiba took a seat in the last chair available in the room. "Nope. There was no scent near the explosion. Completely wiped clean. Hell, your scent was wiped too, and you were there when we arrived. When we looked for the shop keeper, he had been heavily drugged at the time. He slept through the entire thing."

Throwing himself back against his own chair, Naruto tried to think of anyone he could have pissed off recently. He was on pretty good terms with everyone recently though.

"I don't think Uzumaki's the target." Everyone looked at Shikamaru like he was crazy.

"Have you not been paying attention Shikamaru? I've been almost killed. Twice!" Kiba nodded in agreement and the young genius seemed to contemplate whether it would be worth explaining it to them.

"Troublesome," he muttered, quickly debating on whether he should pick up smoking again if he had to answer every obvious question. "Naruto, didn't you once say that you only bought those plates because Sasuke refused to eat ramen?"

"Yeah, it was annoying having all the paper plates around all the time, so I just bought some."

"Who usually gets the plates if you're preparing the food?"

Naruto paused. Sasuke normally got the plates while he prepared the water and looked through his cabinets for edible food for his guest that wasn't ramen.

"And Sasuke normally picks up his book packages from the location you picked up yours. Sasuke is the only patron the book keeper does that for. If it wasn't for your date with Hinata, you probably wouldn't have gone to get the plates in the fir–"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! How do you know about my date with Hinata?" Naruto asked exasperated.

"A blog," Shikamaru answered annoyed at being interrupted.

"Wait there's a fucking blog about my life!"

"There's no blog," Kiba assured him. "It's a comic book Sai puts out."

"What?!"

He watched Kiba pull out a small comic book with a chibi picture of Naruto and Sasuke on the cover. Chibi Naruto was trying to hold Sasuke while, chibi Sasuke pushing him away with a slight blush on his chubby chibi cheeks.

"What the fuck Sai?!"

"I only released it to our friends, a few instructors, Gaara and his siblings, and a couple guards." Sai listed off his fingers.

"It's my private life! Underline private! Not everyone needs to know about it!"

"It brings in quite a profit though. I'll give you your portion when-" Sai didn't get to finish before Naruto launched himself over the coffee table at him.

+

"Great, the entire village knows I'm a rapist and that I have a crush on Sasuke." Naruto had been pulled off of Sai who had to be removed from the room before the blonde snapped again. How did he not know about a circulating comic about his life?

"Getting back to the subject at hand," Nara spoke up impatiently, ready to go home before Temari came looking for him. "Sasuke seems like the real target, probably someone who holds a grudge against him."

"Probably," was Narturo's echoed reply. There were a lot of murder attempts on Sasuke after he had first come back, but after the second year they dwindled to only a few. They hadn't had any the past two years and none of the attempts were so skilled.

"Whoever's behind this has been watching Sasuke for months to be able to pick out such well placed traps. He has been even watching inside your apartment to pick out that particular pattern and has access to certain information to know about the books. Sasuke places his orders anonymously. No one knows about it except the two of us since we set up the trading system."

"Not to mention that he doesn't quite care who is caught in the crossfire. That explosive could have killed him or a random kid who decided to pick up the package as a prank." Naruto added grimly. If it was anyone but him, the traps would have worked.

"The best traps are in places you let your guard down."

Naruto looked over at Shikamaru. "What do we do now?"

"You take up that offer to live with the Uchiha brothers."

The blonde bit his tongue, so he wouldn't ask how he knew about the offer. He really shouldn't ask how anymore. "You are worse than a bunch of old ladies." The brunette didn't dignify that with an answer.


	10. Horror Movie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so my computer completely crashed. It took chapter 19 with it. I'm doing my best to recover it, but it might be a while until I get chapter 19 out on this site or fanfic.

Naruto felt his eyebrow tick in annoyance as he shoved another pair of pants into his bag. Sasuke had gladly extended his invitation again when Naruto asked. Gladly being a relative term since to everyone else it would seem like it was a hassle to the raven, but Naruto could see the concern behind his friend's dark eyes after the two assassination attempts. That wasn't what annoyed him though. What annoyed him was Kyuubi's persistent attempts to get Naruto to talk to him. He had been ignoring Kyuubi since the incident with Sasuke a few months ago. The thing was, it was hard to ignore something when it kind of resided in your head, or gut in Naruto's case. It should have been simple. Kurama didn't talk to Naruto that often after all, but recently the blonde hadn't been able to get him to shut up.

**Are you still ignoring me? It's going on to four months.**

See, Naruto could have yelled at Kyuubi, but the blonde had found out over the years that Kyuubi hated being ignored more than anything. It was funny how similar they were in some aspects. So Naruto attempted to keep the Nine Tails from distracting him, pushing him to the back corners of his mind and ignoring the comments coming from the old fox.

**What do you want me to say? So I encouraged you to act on your instincts. It was just a small influence.**

Naruto shoved his mask into his bag with more force than necessary. _You made me hurt my best friend!_ He growled back.

He could see Kyuubi looking somewhat amused as he laid down and used his tails to wrap around himself. **I've lived for a very long time, and I've seen humans rape, kill, and torture one another. What that boy was saying and how his body was reacting were not giving the same message. He wouldn't have forgiven you so easily no matter your excuses if he didn't want it. And the second time, he was practically drowning in denial in order not to enjoy it.**

Naruto had stopped listening half way through as he felt nausea take a hold of him.

_Y-You were . . . watching us?_

**I see everything you see kit. That should have been obvious by now.** **Have to admit it was like watching mediocre porn. It's obvious you both don't engage in these activities often.**

Naruto increasingly turned a brighter and brighter red as he left his apartment, forced to hear Kyuubi's tips on sex. He supposed it made sense that Kyuubi had been forced to see many couples at it over his many years of imprisonment in his human host, and he just knew Kurama was deriving some sort of sick pleasure over Naruto's embarrassment.

After another 10 minutes of listening to the fox give him an interesting list of creative ways to have sex, he had come to a conclusion. He was never having sex ever again.

His scarlet complexion cause a few concerned looks to turn his way. He was positive the news of the explosion had gotten around town, and he was pretty sure everyone knew he was in it. They probably thought he was still ill and had run away from the hospital again. How could anyone blame him? Tsunade was scary as hell, especially when it came to him. He swore she had some sadistic tendencies when it came to her bedside manor towards him. He never knew getting his bandages changed could be so painful.

**You're ignoring me again.**

_I do not want to hear the detailed version of_ 101 Sex Positions _in my head._

The fox flicked of its tail in amusement before settling down. **Fine, here's my updated explanation since "So what? He was begging for it" didn't seem to appease you. I've been without a partner for a millennia and feeling your desire for your "friend" instigated my own desire crossing over to you since we are usually in sync with one another.**

The blonde blanched. _You got off on us . . . ew . . ._

Kurama snorted. **Kami no. Like I would find humans engaging in sex appealing. Our emotions have been in sync for some time now since you let me out of my prison. Usually we both have mental barriers to keep emotions our own, but as you know. My anger can transfer and influence you as your emotions, like arousal, can instigate my own. So I accidentally influenced you to act on those emotions.**

_So it wasn't really my fault I jumped him._

The foxed chuckled. **Unlike you, I am better with my barriers. I cut off the connection when you started molesting him. Apparently you had a lot of repressed emotions. Once you had a crack in your resolve, it broke.**

_You know you suck at cheering people up._

**Who said anything about cheering you up?**

Deciding enough was enough, he decided to forgive the damn fox. He really couldn't take anymore of his ranting and talking. It seemed the old kitsune missed him, and he knew Kurama would never admit that aloud.

Sensing the warm feeling of forgiveness wash over him, Kyuubi quieted down much to Naruto's relief. He could feel warmth coil in his stomach where the seal resided. He missed that feeling. The feeling of the Nine Tail's presence telling him they were once again on good terms.

It wasn't a moment too soon. He had just reached Sasuke's old home. It was a lot more worn than he remembered, but no one had lived there since the massacre, so it made sense he supposed. He knocked against the large wooden door and waited for someone to let him through the main gate. Unconsciously, his eyes roamed, seeking the guards he knew were close by. As promised, half the guards were called off on the condition that he lived inside the house. A fairly good trade off. One could learn a lot living more within the walls of the target than watching the outside. He spotted the guards, and he frowned. He was going to have to chew them out if he found them without going into sage mode. If he could see them, then Itachi must feel like they were in his face. It was no wonder the man felt very uncomfortable. It would be quite insulting.

To his surprise, it was the elder Uchiha who answered. His complexion was considerably better, his breathing no longer labored, and his voice was much stronger. The elder gave him a soft smile before stepping aside. "Naruto-kun, I am glad you decided to take up our offer."

Naruto couldn't help but wonder if Itachi knew about the attacks. It wasn't like the man could get out much between his injuries and an army of ANBU watching him. "It's nothing. I kind of understand why you asked." Itachi closed the gate behind him as soon as the blonde entered. "I see you are doing better."

"Considerably." The man agreed. "Allow me show you to your room." The older man showed him inside. Before Naruto disappeared into the house, he made a subtle gesture with his hand, alerting he guards that he could see them, and he wasn't happy about it.

**Maybe it's not them. Maybe it's you've gotten stronger again.**

Not that it mattered to Naruto. Despite people calling him easy going and lazy, he took his job seriously and expected everyone to do their best and improve. It was partially the reason why his casualty rate was so low. He pushed the people he worked with to do their best at all times.

"Your room is next to Sasuke's. My room is across the hall."

"Yeah um . . . is there a different room I can use? The teme and I will be at each other's necks if we're in the same space for too long." Plus he rather not think about the teme sleeping in the next room at night."

"I'm afraid the other rooms are in need of repair. It seems since my parents' death, Sasuke had not been living here and the property has taken quite a bit of damage. I plan to rectify the problem as soon as I am stronger."

"Well I suppose I can give you a helping hand." The blonde grinned at the man. "We can start tomorrow. Just tell me what to do."

The blonde was graced with another small smile. "I suppose we can arrange something. Would you like some tea?"

Scratching the back of his head and wondering if Sasuke would kill him if he let his brother to continue moving around so much, Naruto accepted the hospitality extended to him.

He was brought into a sitting room with a TV, a coffee table, and a sofa. It kind of looked out of place since it looked new compared to the rest of the house. Catching the blonde's curious look, Itachi explained that his parents were more traditional and didn't allow TVs or couches. They always sat on the floor in the seiza position even at meals. Naruto winced as he recalled having to sit like that when he was in trouble at the academy. He couldn't sit still for more than a minute before his legs started to fall asleep then cramp soon after. He never understood how others were able to sit for hours and get up without a problem.

"I didn't know. Sasuke always had a couch in his apartment. He would invite me over sometimes to watch horror movies with him."

Itachi's looked at the blonde with something resembling amusement. "Is that so?"

"Yeah." Naruto shrugged nonchalantly. "I convinced him he should get a TV. I didn't have space in my apartment, but all he has is space in his."

"I find that interesting since Sasuke hates TV, and he used to be afraid of horror movies."

Naruto laughed. "He still is. He tries so hard to hide it too. He gets all stiff and snappy during the movie, and you should see his face when I get up to turn off the lights. He gets this longing in his eyes, like he wants to argue to keep them on. Not that he'll ever admit it. He can't turn away a challenge."

"No, he can't." Itachi left Naruto in the sitting room as he went to make some tea. The blonde didn't wait to make himself comfortable and flopped himself down onto the couch. It felt like he was sitting on a cloud. He sighed contently. As he thought, Itachi was cool to hang around. He gave off that big brother feel even if he was quiet. He had gotten that feeling when Itachi had been resurrected during the war. Then, the man had a weight on his shoulders. He had been tired and worn from his many lies and quiet suffering. It was nice to meet this side of him. He always wanted siblings. Kiba and Gaara were the closest thing to that and one was annoying after long periods of time and the other didn't talk much which got boring if they weren't doing anything, and Sakura was a bit too violent to be like his older sister even if she kept him in line and Sai . . . well that was a long story. Sai was a bit on the weird side, but he was getting better with Sakura's help. He shook his head. That was a weird couple. But Sai in the end was a good gu-

Naruto's eyes widened in horror as he spotted a pile of those comic books sitting innocently on the side table. Multiple issues of it too. Sai was going to be a dead man.

"I hope I didn't keep you long Naruto-kun." Itachi came in with a tray with the tea and a few dango.

The blonde's head snapped up to look at Itachi, forcing a smile. "I didn't see you as someone who reads manga."

Itachi's gaze fell upon the stack. "I normally don't. An old friend and guard from outside gave them to me. Sasuke avoids talking about himself, and he must have realized it upset me a bit." The man shifted uncomfortably. Naruto had known Fugaku had not been very open and accepting of his sons showing weakness. The amount of alcohol it took for Sasuke to confide in Naruto about that was a scary night. "He gave me the books and said that they were the exaggerated truth of the past few years of my brother's life. I was skeptical at first, but I could see that the events were real even if they were not portrayed one hundred percent accurately. I find the tales amusing and clarifies a few things here and there about the state of the village."

Blue eyes lingered on the newest volume that had been released. "Have you read the newest volume?" He asked nervously.

Itachi was kind enough not to question his nervousness and calmly relied, "I have not. I am two volumes away from that one." Naruto relaxed some. He really didn't need a homicidal brother after him. He never wanted to fight Itachi again. Three times in his life time was good enough, and he never wanted to repeat the experience. He didn't dare try to take the book while Itachi was in the room. That was asking for him to get caught. No he'd wait until he went back into the kitchen.

Itachi and Naruto chatted for nearly an hour. The captain was nervous the elder Uchiha was going to ask touchy questions, but they never came. It seemed that Itachi had caught on to what he should and shouldn't ask. He felt bad. The man deserved to know the truth, but at the same time, he didn't want to dump that load onto his shoulders again.

Sasuke didn't return until the sun was setting. At which point Itachi was cooking dinner and Naruto was taking a nap on the couch. "What do you think you are doing dobe?"

When Naruto showed no signs of waking, Sasuke went over to wake him. He was a few steps away from swinging his fist to hit the dobe when he was stopped by the sound of his brother's voice. "Leave him alone Sasuke. He is still recovering from his injuries."

"He's slacking off again." The raven muttered, looking at the sleeping blonde with a scowl.

"He's a guest. Mother wouldn't approve of your manners."

"Don't bring her into this. He's a lazy dumbass, and you shouldn't be cooking. You should be resting."

Itachi gave him a patient look. "I rather feel useful than sitting in a bed all day. Naruto-kun informed me that you two watch horror movies together. I thought we could all watch one after dinner." Itachi had to admit he was quite amused by the color that drained from his little brother's face while he tried stay nonchalant about it at the same time.

"Whatever you want Nii-san."

Itachi went into the kitchen wondering what horror movie he wanted to watch when he heard a loud thump followed quickly by a yelp from the sitting room. His brother and Naruto's relationship was interesting indeed.

* * *

"Wow! I have to hand it to you Itachi, you are an amazing cook!" Naruto popped another piece omlet into his mouth and hummed in appreciation. "This tamagoyaki is the best! The egg is so fluffy, and the miso soup is so good and the rice is perfect! I never thought about making breakfast for dinner before!"

"That's because you don't think, usaronkontachi." Sasuke replied, smirking when Naruto glared at him in return.

"Can't I just compliment someone without you degrading me?" Naruto growled.

"Of course you can't, _Captain._ We wouldn't want you to think your opinion actually mattered."

"Why I oughta-" Nartuo was ready to jump over the table when Itachi broke the tension.

"Thank you for the compliment Naruto-kun. I helped my mother often with the chores, cooking being the one I most enjoyed."

"Maybe I should move in permanently. My mom did say I needed to eat better. If I ate like this every day, I could actually see that happening." The blonde was grinning ear to ear at Itachi and the raven couldn't help but be put in a sour mood because of it. Why was that idiot always smiling at everyone any way? There was nothing to smile about. It was just food. "I mean between you and Sasuke I'd have my own two professional chefs."

"I like how you excuse yourself from doing any chores." Naruto turned his blue eyes back to the younger raven.

"I never said I wouldn't do chores, just not the cooking. Besides, I already promised Itachi that I would help him fix up your house. If anything, you should be thanking me for the free labor. I could get this place cleaned up in a few days with my shadow clones helping you."

"That jutsu is the only thing that makes you useful."

"Say that to my face Teme!"

"I just did idiot."

Itachi stood up, causing both sets of eyes to look towards him and quiet their arguing. "Now that dinner is done, I propose we watch the movie I borrowed from Kakashi. He said it was a good movie."

"If it isn't some sort of porno," Sasuke muttered. Naruto nodded in agreement for once. After what Kakashi had pulled the past few months, nothing would surprise the pair anymore. It was almost expected at this point.

The elder Uchiha just lifted an eyebrow at the comment but did not reply to it, excusing himself to put the dishes away.

Naruto moved to help with the clean up but Sasuke beat him to it. He decided to let it go however. Soon, Sasuke would be subjected to a horror movie which would wipe the smirk off his face one way or another.

Moving to the sitting room, Naruto flopped down onto the sofa awaiting the other Uchihas to join him. For a mission, this wasn't too bad. He got to eat good food, socialize, and be with his crush and got paid for it. He really couldn't ask for a better assignment. It was unfortunate how it came to be that way though. Throughout dinner, the blonde tried to think of anyone who would want Sasuke dead in and out of the village. Anyone who came to mind didn't have the resources or the skill to pull off those attacks. He knew they had to be close. They knew of the first failed attempt within a few hours and was able to set up the second quickly. Chances were, the house was being watched by the perp. Somewhere. Like the ANBU watching the house for instance. It would be easy for an ANBU member to be able to keep an eye on Sasuke and set up the traps. It wasn't unusual for Sasuke to be under random surveillance. If they had been caught, it was a good excuse. The old crones who call themselves elders would issue something like that. The idea that one of his colleges was the assassin didn't sit well with Naruto unfortunately. He trusted them with his life, and they all knew how protective he was of Sasuke. If one of them was responsible . . . he would take care of them himself. His stomach churned, but he ignored the uncomfortable feeling. Whether it was ANBU or not, he would protect Sasuke. He would keep that promise no matter what.

Itachi came into the room first, disrupting the blonde's thoughts. He put the movie into the DVD player and took a seat in the recliner, leaving the spot next to Naruto the only one open for Sasuke to take. A piece of the captain's mind worried that Sasuke might not take it. The worry was unneeded though as Sasuke didn't hesitate to sit beside his rival though he did leave a bit more space between them than usual.

Everyone was quiet as Itachi started the movie. Naruto felt the raven tense beside him as the eerie music and opening credits started on the screen. The blonde smiled in amusement and satisfaction. The movie had barely started and already his raven was nervous. Deciding to add to his discomfort, Naruto got up to turn off the lights. He felt cold eyes on him as his hand brushed the light switch. "I'm turning off the lights," the blonde shinobi happily announced as Sasuke's eyes bore into him. The dark onyx eyes projecting murder with a small undertone of pleading at the aspect of being in the dark. With a grin, the lights were turned off.

Naruto had to say, it really was a good movie. He had to hand it to Kakashi. Even he felt kind of nervous half way through the movie as the ghosts violently killed another victim. He was vaguely aware Sasuke had moved closer to him during the movie, their arms brushing against one another. The action drew the blue eyes away from the screen for a moment. Sasuke was staring intently at the screen. Perhaps too intently as he was trying hard not to look away. The younger Uchiha didn't even notice he was pressing against Naruto unconsciously when something else jumped out to claim another victim. Smiling to himself, Naruto looked back at the movie, before Sasuke tried to claim he was chickening out.

That was when Naruto saw them. Naruto was afraid of two things. The firsts were ghosts. This fear had dwindled quite a bit compared to several years ago, so it wasn't much of an issue when it came to movies but still weary when going near shrines and graveyards. The other was cockroaches. They were disgusting, vile insects, that you couldn't get rid of cause there were always multiples of them. And on the screen there were hundreds and hundreds of them, eating a person from the inside out. He didn't think about it. He grabbed the closest hand to him and squeezed tightly trying to steal himself until it was over. He had missed the Uchiha's eyes on him as he closed his own eyes unable to take the gruesome sight. Why did it have to be cockroaches? He could take ants, locast, grasshoppers, demons, rats, and any other thing but cockroaches.

The younger Uchiha debated making a comment. For the first time it was Naruto being afraid of the movie instead of him being . . . anxious. He would never admit even to himself that he was afraid of these movies. Looking at the blonde had been a perfect excuse to take his eyes off the screen without being accused of being too scared to watch the entire movie. He never got to say the smart remark to the frightened blonde though. He felt the man tremor slightly through the death grip the younger man had on his hand. _Is he really that afraid?_ The raven wondered. Suddenly, making fun of him would have been a real jackass thing to do. So he stayed quiet and let Naruto take comfort from the contact.

When the scene passed, Naruto seemed to continue being edgy until the end of the movie, not quite letting go of Sasuke's hand much to Sasuke's own discomfort because Naruto got to feel every slight jump or tense moment Sasuke had during the movie as a result.

Itachi was the first to move, apparently the only one unaffected by the movie. He turned off the TV with the remote, leaving the room in darkness. The room was deathly quiet and with the two ANBU's frazzled nerves became increasingly worse as the silence continued to stretch.

Just when neither shinobi could take any more of the silent darkness, something soft brushed the back of their necks. Sasuke instinctively reached for his kunai, rising from his spot, ready to lash out, while Naruto yelped and clung himself to Sasuke, catching the raven off guard and knocking the raven off balance.

The lights flickered on a second later revealing the two shinobi's interesting positions. Naruto was holding Sasuke's waist and burying his face into Sasuke's chest eyes squeezed shut and trembling, while Sasuke was underneath him with a kunai clutched in his hand, unable to do much about his position.

Itachi looked at them suppressed amusement. "Did something make you frightened?" He asked innocently. Sasuke gave his older brother a glare which the older Uchiha politely ignored. "I shall give you two some time to calm your nerves," he said in his usually soft, calm tone. Sasuke swore his brother was mocking them.

Sasuke bit his tongue before he could tell his brother to fuck off. His brother left without further comment.

Naruto made no moves to get off of Sasuke, his frame still trembling slightly. Sasuke was at a loss on what he should do. Awkwardly a pale hand moved to stroke the blonde's soft hair. "They're just bugs, dobe. Don't be such a wuss." Despite the harsh words, he said them as gently as he could. The words still ended up tight and kind of harsh, but they seemed to help as the blonde's tremors slowly dissipated.

The blonde's arms tightened around him. "I'm sorry," he said. Sasuke had to strain to hear the dobe. He had said it so softly. "Just . . . let me stay here a bit longer . . . I'll be okay after that."

So they stayed on the couch in that position, neither talking nor moving. The only sound was their soft breathing and the soft hum of the lights above them. After what felt like hours, the blonde moved, sitting up with his usual grin. "Sorry about that. You're right, their just bugs. Nothing to get worked up over." He pretended that it didn't really bother him, that he hadn't been close to tears over a small prank. Sasuke could have called bullshit on the whole thing easily if he wanted to. Again the raven said nothing, leaving his captain some dignity as the blonde murmured goodnight and hurried out of the room.

Sasuke stayed in the room staring at the ceiling. Questions ran through his mind, mostly about the blonde who had been attached to him for the past 15 minutes or so.

He had been terrified. He had never seen the blonde so scared before. He looked so vulnerable. That was something he never saw Naruto as. He might have thought of him as stupid, useless, and weak perhaps, but never vulnerable. It didn't sit well with him. The feeling to protect the man that had been wrapped around him had been strong. After all, they were friends. Friends protected one another.

Slowly, the raven sat up as well, looking at the spot Naruto had inhabited moment before. Between being raped and lied to, he shouldn't have these feelings. A part of him knew he should be angry still, should still be keeping his idiotic captain at arm's length. He shouldn't be satisfied that the blonde was nearby, so he could keep an eye on him and protect him from an unknown assassin. Why was he so forgiving lately? He had been all about getting revenge for most of his life. He should be doing something to hurt Naruto for what he had done!

Yet, he could still feel his warm body pressed up against him only moments before. Sasuke had a chance to attack him, but he hadn't. All he could think of was those scared bright blue eyes looking at him and seeking comfort from him. No one had sought comfort from him in years. Why would they want him to see them in a state of weakness? He was a traitor, and he never really been one to offer comfort in the past anyway. He was cold. He knew that. Trust the dobe to not care about that and forgetting to keep his distance.

A small sigh escaped the raven as he stood up. He forgot to ask how the usaronkontachi's date went. Not that he cared or anything, but he was a bit curious. Tomorrow was another day, and he could ask then.

Pushing all lingering thoughts aside, Sasuke got up, turned off the lights, and went to bed.


	11. Drinking Once Again

Naruto couldn't sleep. Events of that night kept playing in his head as he kept trying to interpret what the hell it all meant. Did Sasuke let him hang onto him because he was just being a really good friend? The blonde was sure the raven wouldn't let anyone else hold him like that so did that mean he was the exception? If he was the exception then what was he really to the Uchiha? Sasuke said he didn't have any romantic feeling towards his captain so what was he?

It was because of these thoughts that Naruto had decided to spend his night reading the manga Sai had put out about his life. The title wasn't very creative and in case anyone doubted who it was about the title reassured them. It was titled _Naruto._ He suspected people only picked up the manga because it was about their favorite hero. As much as he loved his name, it was weird seeing it as the title of a book.

Naruto was well aware that he would be unable to keep this volume hidden from Itachi for very long. Someone else would just give it to him, or worse yet, buy it himself, so he needed to know what exactly Itachi would be getting from the offensive comic.

The blonde was lying on his stomach, head in his hands as he read it over. There weren't many words in the comic, leaving the story to be told by the characters actions. Naruto hated to admit it, but the manga was actually good. It was interesting to see his life from an outsider's viewpoint if not a bit annoying on how Sai seemed to perceive his coworkers. He was . . . adorable for lack of a better word, but what else could he expect since the entire comic was written with him in chibi form.

Currently chibi Naruto and chibi Sasuke were sitting with empty beer cans spread out around them. Sasuke was swaying with blush across his cheeks to show he was intoxicated. Meanwhile, Naruto's chibi self was looking at Sasuke with a , and the real Naruto cringed at the sight, very cute expression that told the readers that chibi Naruto thought Sasuke looked adorable. As chibi Sasuke got up to wonder off, swaying as he walked, chibi Naruto seemed to be having an internal struggle. Just as Sasuke got to the door, chibi Naruto tackled him. The scene then went off screen with a floating heart and a sound effect for kissing as the last frame.

"Shit, no wonder no one took it seriously," the blonde murmured, tossing the book to the side annoyed. If that was the picture in people's heads when they thought about Naruto raping someone, he almost couldn't blame them for not being more upset with him. The entire scene was adorable. How could anyone take chibi anything seriously? The manga also kind of seemed to make the act more consenting than it really was too.

Sighing dramatically, the blonde rolled over onto his back to stare at the ceiling. "At least Itachi might not try to kill me. Maybe he'll take it as a joke and think it's not real."

Naruto was just starting to drift when there was a knock on the bedroom window. He didn't answer. Maybe if he pretended to sleep, they'd go away. Surely, whatever it was could wait until morning. Luck didn't seem to be on his side however. The window slid open, announcing the ANBU messenger was coming in anyway. "Can't it wait til morning?" It came out more like a whine than the blonde had hoped.

"It is important captain. Akihiko was found dead two hours ago."

At this, the captain shot up from his bed and was across the room going through his bag, getting his gear. "What do you have so far?"

"Akihiko's body was uncovered by a group of academy students who were training in the forest. One of them was practicing an earth style jutsu and partially unburied his body. They called for an instructor after that."

"Why wasn't I notified sooner?" Naruto growled. He was angry, not particularly at the messenger, but how slow the information took to reach him. Akihiko was in charge of security around the outside of Konoha's gates. Though the main village was behind the gates, the land extended beyond. There were outposts, traders, farmers, and other people who the Konoha shinobi protected that lived on that land. Two hours was a long time to have a gap in their defenses.

"We were not able to. They were only just now able to identify the body."

The messenger took in the blonde's series of expression. First looking grim, then calculating, then angry, then back to grim. "How badly was the body mutilated?"

"It wasn't. The reason that the body was hard to identify was because it had decomposed beyond on sight recognition. The body has been dead for over 2 months."

Naruto froze. "He's been dead for how long?"

"Two months." The messenger repeated.

"That's impossible. He's one of the guards stationed to protect the Uchihas. I saw him less than 6 hours ago."

"We double checked when we discovered the body's identity. We sent some people out to go question Akihiko because he was seen an hour after we found the body talking to his girlfriend. He's missing now."

Naruto found himself grinding his teeth. They shouldn't have done that. Chances were that the Akihiko running around was an imposter. Sending people out to question him alerted the imposter and gave him time to run. If they had instead kept surveillance on the imposter and pretended nothing was wrong they would have gotten more information. "This is why I should have been notified before actions were taken."

The ANBU before him said nothing.

The blonde started to pace, thinking of how he could salvage the situation. "I will bring in Sasuke on the situation. Bring me Shikamaru and have someone start on the autopsy. I want to know how he died and to make sure it really was two months ago and not some strange jutsu that accelerates decomposition. Send out a sensory team to the site the body was found. I want at least one Inuzuka and one Hyuuga on that team. I want this done ASAP."

"Yes captain." The messenger went up in a puff of smoke. So it was just a clone, even better. His request will be taken care of even faster than he had hoped. He gathered some paper and a pen before making his way to the dining room and setting up for the strategy meeting. He could only pray he could salvage the situation as quickly as possible.

* * *

"And that's the situation." The blonde looked at the three gathered around the table. Sakura, Shikumaru, and Sasuke all had different reactions to the situation, but each one of them took the situation very seriously. Shikamaru didn't even bother to say how troublesome it all was.

"We have a leak," Sasuke said after the silence had settled over the room. "All of our defenses and passcodes to get through the security points were easily infiltrated in order to get to Akihiko and bury him so far into our territory.

Naruto had of course thought of that before but he had been avoiding admitting it out loud. "I thought the same thing," he admitted somberly. "Not only has the entire security been compromised for two months then, but the intruder has also infiltrated the ANBU and has had access to the archives and other secrets. Who knows what the intruder knows."

"That's the least amount of our problems." Shikamaru flipped through some pages then proceeded to spread them out on the table for the others to see. "These are the missions the fake Akihiko has been on."

Naruto glanced over them. He recognized most of them; he had arranged them himself and even gone on a few. "So? These missions aren't too bad. They barely ranked an A. I sent him on these easy missions because he was getting married soon."

"It's not the missions themselves, but who was on the squads. In two of the reports he was with someone from the Inuzuka clan. He even went on one with the Hyuuga clan."

"And?"

The brunette couldn't help himself. He rolled his eyes in annoyance at having to spell it out. "These two clans pride themselves on their abilities. No one should be able to fool an Inuzuka's nose and a Hyuuga can see the chakra passageways and signatures of opponents and allies. This intruder not only copied their scent perfectly to fool the Inuzuka's, but they also are able to copy and change their chakra channels to match Akihiko's. It is a perfect copy."

"Almost like a clone," Naruto murmured. The atmosphere in the room shifted as everyone unconsciously looked at Sasuke.

"My brother has nothing to do with this!" the raven snapped, his voice full of venom.

"We didn't say he was involved, Sasuke." Naruto said quietly.

"He is not a clone. I would know if he was. He wouldn't have memories of the past if he was."

Sakura traded a worried glance with Naruto before speaking. "You're right. His soul is definitely in that body whether he's a clone or not. But someone resurrected him. And someone had stolen Orochimaru's research a few months back. It is possible they started off with clones, like Orochimaru before moving on to creating resurrection jutsu using the actual deceased body instead of a live sacrifice. That is all we're suggesting."

When the statement didn't soothe the raven's anger, the soft, warm hand on his shoulder did. Sasuke glanced at his blonde friend. Biting his tongue and stuffing the hurtful words he planned to say back down, he tensely nodded his head.

"Right now we need to focus on damage control. Thanks to Sakura, we know that the body is in fact two months old. We need to worry about whether he can take the form of another shinobi. We strongly suspect that the memories of his victims can be transferred to him. According to Nadia, she didn't notice anything strange about Akihiko in the past two months. This is something we need to be weary of.

"Shikamaru, I'm going to need you to plan out and change our entire security outline. No one leaves Konoha within the next 48 hours. We will tell the citizens not to panic and that it is a precaution from a threat we received. Sakura, I need you to see if you can figure out anything from the corpse. I doubt the sensory team will pick up anything.

"Our suspect already knows we're looking for him thanks to some carelessness. If it isn't some Akihiko clone, he will change his appearance immediately. Keep a lookout for anyone we don't recognize. He could always go back to his original face. We must be weary of him taking the appearance of other shinobi as well. We'll need to figure out a way to distinguish our own from the imposter."

"Isn't 48 hours short?" Sakura asked. "It's not a lot of time to comb through an entire city."

"Shikamaru and I have a feeling he won't be leaving anytime soon. The lockdown is just until we get our security fixed. It's easier to do without people going in and out."

"Why? He has had plenty of time to collect information and now everyone is going to be looking for him."

Sasuke leaned forward, looking straight at Naruto until the blonde was forced to look at him back. "You think he's the one trying to kill me."

The captain looked away. "Yeah."

"You're going to use me as bait?" the Uchiha asked, but it barely sounded like a question and sounded like a combination of a statement and an order.

Naruto gave a curt nod. "That's it for now. Dismissed." Without waiting to see the others leave, Naruto tried to escape to his room.

Tried being the key word. Sasuke grabbed his hand once he was in the hall leading to the bedrooms, away from the eyes of their friends. "And where do you think you're running off to?"

"Come on Sasuke, it's late and I haven't gotten a good night sleep in several days. Can't we talk tomorrow?"

"Do you think I'm mad about you wanting to use me as bait? I think it's a good plan. I want to catch the asshole as much as you."

"Sasuke I don't want to talk about it right now." Carefully, the blonde pulled his hand away from Sasuke. "And don't hold my hand." Naruto walked away from him, leaving the raven in the hall by himself.

That was the first time Naruto had ever told Sasuke not to touch him and a small part of him realized it kind of hurt.

* * *

The entire ANBU unit was running around doing damage control over the next two days overseen by Naruto and two other captains, so Sasuke wasn't surprised that Naruto came home late only to stay for dinner before heading back out. Each day hints of frustration was becoming apparent on the blonde's features. All the work they were putting into destroying and rebuilding their defenses meant nothing if they couldn't stop the infiltrator from taking another ANBUs identity and getting their memories. They had yet to come up with a plan to identify their own people which resulted in a lot of secrets. Each unit was only told certain information, so if there was a leak, the captains would be able to narrow down the suspects. As it turned out, nothing had caught the captains' attention and information was slowed down with the lack of communication. It was hurting them more than helping.

On the third day, the lock down was lifted and traders and diplomats were coming and going again as usual. Sasuke's older brother took the opportunity to wonder around the village and refamiliarize himself with the newly built Konoha, with his guards and nurse following him of course. He had originally plan to go to the training grounds, but his nurse forbade him after listing everything wrong with him still and how training would undo all her hard work. On the other hand, the female guard had convinced the nurse a walk around Konoha to stretch his legs wouldn't hurt as long as he wore a hat to keep his face somewhat hidden. That left Sasuke the house to himself and he was planning to make the most of it.

Naruto had been somewhat avoiding him the past several days. Sasuke had decided that would no longer do. When the blonde had come home to eat, the raven had sweets and alcohol out on the table.

Naruto looked at his rival wearily. "What's this?"

"Thought we could hang out for a little while before you went to bed."

"What do you want teme?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his eyebrow ticking in annoyance. "Do I have to want something in order to do something nice?"

Not even a beat before the blonde answered with a blunt, "Yes. You can't stand sweets."

"Why can't you just accept that I did something nice, baka?"

"Because you never do anything nice, and when you do, it's because you feel guilty as hell about something, so usually never."

Dark eyes slowly blinked. "Really?"

A tired sigh escaped the blonde. Slowly, he dragged his feet to the table and took a seat. "Don't take it seriously. I'm just tired. Being up for 3 days does that, ya know?" His tan hand reached over the table to grab the sake, bypassing the sweets. Sasuke also poured himself some sake and let the silence fill between them a bit. He didn't drink much. Instead he watched the man sitting across from him drinking his way through the first bottle while he was still on his first cup. "Not going to ask any questions?" Naruto asked after starting on his second bottle.

"Did you want me too?" Sasuke replied back easily.

"Not really, but I've been expecting them." Signs of intoxication were already becoming apparent thanks to an empty stomach, so Naruto reached for one of the pastries on the table. "How was your day?"

"Itachi made me watch more TV with him." The Uchiha watched as a mischievous grin crept its way onto the blondes face.

"Oh? Another horror movie?"

"No, some TV show about a shinigami and a note book. I fell asleep during the first episode."

"I'm glad your day went well. I had to put up with bureaucratic bullshit all day. I swear those old skeletons just want an excuse to make me look bad." Naruto decided to down the rest of his bottle before grabbing the plate of sweats and attacking that instead. "I showed them though," he said between mouthfuls. "Couldn't get anything on me this time."

"Same old elders. They still can't see passed the fact you are a jinchuuriki. It's the only reason they don't want you as Hokage."

The blonde stopped inhaling his food for a moment to answer with a half hearted, "yeah."

"I could always attempt to kill them again." Sasuke suggested only half kidding. He still debated it time to time when stupid shit like this came up.

"It's fine. Just reminds me of the past, ya know? From the time I was younger."

"You never talk about it much."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, his eyes looking at the ceiling for a moment as he organized his thoughts. "You know the most of it. I was ignored and picked on by most of the adults, and their kids followed suit. The hardest part was never knowing why. Why was I the one picked on? Why was I the one everyone hated? Why didn't I have parents who loved me? Why did the Third refuse to tell me who my parents are? I didn't know who or what I was, and I hated the village for it." The blonde looked at Sasuke, meeting his eyes.

"It's hard growing up on your own. Hell I had to learn to do all domestic chores by the time I was three and trying to figure out the whole growing up part sucks too, but it got so bad that I hated the villagers. I wanted to back at them just like you had, and sometimes it got really bad beyond the normal bullying. I stopped buying fresh ingredients because the merchants would sell me rotten items. That's how I got obsessed with instant ramen. Hard to tamper with and it can't go bad and it's cheap and easy to cook. When I discovered it I thought it was a godsend. But once in a while, it got worse than that. One day I came home and my apartment was covered in cockroaches. They were everywhere, in my food, clothes, bed, toothbrush, toilet, everything. And the thing about cockroaches is once they have infested, it's hard to get rid of them. I got the pleasure of discovering that they could survive without heads for over a week, I found them crawling on me when I slept, and I couldn't get rid of them no matter how many I killed or how clean I kept my apartment after that. Because my monthly allowance for food and stuff was already spent when it happened, I couldn't get more, so it was a hard month. Meanwhile, I was scared to death another one would pop up. I couldn't even sleep properly in my own bed. I camped out at the training grounds."

"Why didn't you get an exterminator?" Sasuke finally asked. "Or tell the Third you needed more money."

"The Third always seemed distant to me as a kid. I never relied on him much. He always looked at me like I was some terrible reminder. Probably because I look like my dad, the other because the thing that killed him is inside of me. Either way, I wasn't close to him even if he had my best interest at heart. As for an exterminator, well they get to choose who they want to give their service to, and it wasn't me." A sad smile graced his lips. "That was around the time I was at my lowest. When I seriously wondered why I kept going at all."

The raven felt his breath still for a moment. He had never known that the usually cheerful blonde had sunk that low. The blonde was always so annoyingly cheerful at the academy. Then he asked, "Why did you keep going?"

"Iruka-sensei had started to see the real me soon after that. The first one to start to believe in me. The other reason was because I couldn't let this dark haired bastard of a prodigy get ahead of me no matter what."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile at that. "I suppose not."

Sasuke easily changed the subject after that and the mood lifted considerably. Naruto managed to drink another two bottles before Sasuke deemed he should get some rest. He was clinging to Sasuke while the raven helped keep the man upright and guide the very drunk dobe to bed. "But 'Suke you can'ts put me ter bed! We just gots started." The blonde slurred heavily, his arms around the raven's neck, unable to even stand properly.

"You reek of alcohol. You're going to bed." As annoying as it was for Naruto to be all over him, Sasuke found he didn't mind so much as he used to. It was better than being distant.

"I swears to the drunk I'm not gods." Was the blonde's protested reply. "Come on. Just a few mer drinks."

"You are an idiot." Gently, the raven helped Naruto under the blankets of his futon; however the blond decided he didn't want to let go quite yet. Sighing, Sasuke laid down beside him.

"I'm glad you're here 'Suke. I missed you when you were gone."

Sasuke took in the blonde's flushed cheeks, his tousled hair, and the drowsy look in his blue eyes. His captain wouldn't last much longer. It was the perfect time to ask. "Hey, Dobe, why did you not like the idea of using me as bait?"

The question was pushed aside for a moment when Naruto decided to snuggle his face into the crook of Sasuke's neck. "I don't want to see you get hurt 'Suke. I love you more than anything. I don't want to intentionally put you in harm's way. You should know that by now."

Yes, shouldn't he know that by now? Sasuke stayed silent as he waited for the blonde to fall asleep. The air in the room was cool, but he was warm enough with Naruto practically on top of his right side. It took only a few minutes for the drowsy man to fall asleep. Sasuke had a hard time moving when he did though. He was quite comfortable where he was. A mini battle ensued before Sasuke finally decided to disentangle himself from his blonde counterpart. He stared at the sleeping man for a while longer than he got up and quietly left the room, turning off the lights.


	12. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up to chapter 20 on FF. Just so you all know.

"Gaara!" Sasuke watched his companion run up to the Kazekage. It had been three days since the blonde's little heart to heart with him, and Naruto seemed to remember none of it. He couldn't tell if he was relieved or frustrated. Both had benefits and drawbacks.

"Uzumaki, a pleasure as always." Gaara smiled at him. The red head was dressed in his red coat and grey vest instead of his Kazekage outfit. It must have been a pleasure visit then.

"Hey Teme! I'll meet up with you later. I'm going to hang out with Gaara for a bit." The raven watched the blonde put his arm around Gaara's neck.

Sasuke scowled. "I thought we were going to pick up lunch usuratonkachi." Naruto had been begging to go out to get some food and Sasuke had finally said yes.

"Don't worry about me. Just get something for you and nii-chan." And with that, Naruto was walking away with Gaara. Sasuke stood in disbelief. Naruto had literally dropped his company for Gaara. That . . . had never happened before. No one had dropped his company before when they were head over heels for him. He felt . . . a bit insulted actually. Did Naruto actually move on?

Sasuke thought about it for a moment and shook his head. Naruto had declared his love only a few days before while he was drunk. There was no way he wasn't still in love with him. Maybe it had to do with something else?

Curiosity started to eat at him. His only hesitation was if he really wanted to know. The last time he gave into curiosity he had found out he was being lied to and felt betrayed. On the other hand, it allowed him to find his brother and be together with him. All things considered, the heartache was worth it.

Quickly, he performed the transformation jutsu and ran to catch up with the duo.

* * *

Naruto took a seat across Gaara at a nice quiet restaurant. It was Gaara's favorite place in Konoha and the blonde could easily see why. It was comfortable, had a variety of food and drinks, and best of all, it was large enough that no one would bother them. The only person who could hear them was a dark haired middle aged woman who took a seat at a two person table behind them, but she seemed to be minding her own business.

"I see you and Sasuke have made up." Gaara opened up the conversation first, much to Naruto's relief.

"I suppose. Wasn't an easy road to get to, but he seems to have forgiven me for now . . . Did you know about a circulating comic about me?"

Gaara gave a small smile. "Yes. It's been around for about 6 years now." Seeing the worried look on Naruto's face, he added, "Don't worry about it. I poked around when I got here to see how much they really knew. The villagers and our comrades don't know as much as they think. They believe you both were drunk, though not as much the Uchiha, and that you took advantage of the situation and Sasuke consented then regretted the next morning. I believe only two or three of them really knew about the drug and guessed at what really happened."

A weight Naruto didn't even know existed lifted from his shoulder. It also explained why people weren't so mad at him. Obviously Sai didn't know since the description in his manga followed more to what Gaara was saying. "Thanks for doing that, Gaara."

"I owe you a lot. It was nothing." The Kazekage replied easily. "So how are you doing? When you left Suna, you were still upset about the incident. I was surprised to hear you decided to stay here a while longer."

They stopped talking when the waitress came up to them to take their order. Naruto grinned at her, causing the woman to blush before rushing off.

"It's . . . hard still. We had some difficulties lately, but Sasuke seems willing to forgive me after he cools down from his initial outbursts." His blue eyes shifted down to stare at the glass of water in front of him. "I still might take you up on your offer after things settle down though."

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "I thought things were going well?"

"I thought maybe the teme did feel something for me, but I was wrong. He's not interested. He's not even bi let alone gay. It finally started sinking in about a month ago, so I tried to move on from him."

Gaara could sense a but coming so he stayed silent and waited for his friend to continue.

"I can't. He pulls me back in when I try to distance myself. Like you know the teme hates being touched or touching others when it's not related to a mission. It's part of the reason he always has his stupid hands in his pockets all the time. Then a few days ago, I was upset about . . . something . . . He grabbed my hand, to make me turn around. He could have grabbed my wrist, my shoulder or my shirt, but he grabbed my hand. It's a bit out of the way to grab my hand, ya know? When he did, I thought that my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. I resolved to just stay friends with him and to stop loving him, but that went out the window with us just holding hands."

"So what did you do?"

"I told him not to grab my hand anymore and ran away. I tried to avoid him for a few days after that."

Gaara took a sip of his green tea. "So you want to run away to Suna if you can't stop chasing after him."

"That's right. I want to run," the blonde snapped. "Why should I have to pretend everything is okay when it's not? I don't want to hurt him again. Hell I don't trust myself to be in the same room with him. I love him so much it hurts when I'm so close to him, closer than anyone, but I can't ever have him. I hate watching him date everyone but me, and I can't even get jealous because then he'll know I haven't moved on. And now . . . even he has someone to return home to now. All I have is an empty apartment." A sigh escaped the worn out man. "Getting into politics and learning what I need to know to be a good Hokage seems more beneficial to me than staying here and being a masochist."

"You might get passed over as the next Hokage if you wait too long to return."Gaara added quietly.

"I guess that does seem like a big issue doesn't it? It's been my dream for so long."

"But it's not your first and foremost dream right now is it?"

Silence filled between them. They both knew the answer to that question. However, Naruto still wanted to confirm it aloud. "No . . . he is."

Gaara put his cup down. "Naruto, I said this to you before when you told me what happened with Sasuke. You are a kind person. Too kind. You forgive everyone, understand everyone's pain, and bring hope and joy to everyone you meet. Everyone but yourself. You continuously hide your pain, your loneliness, and your fears. You can't handle that alone. I know. And I also know you are too afraid to depend on anyone in the village to help you. You think they depend on you and look up to you. You're afraid that if you show weakness you'd be letting them down somehow." He paused, taking in the blonde's guilty look to confirm what he had just said. "While it is true that they depend on you, you must be able to depend on them. As Hokage, that will hold true even more. I understand that it will be difficult. No one understands the pain of being a jinchuriki except for another jinchuriki, but you can't keep going as you are. You are only human and you have to rely on someone. I wish I could be of more help but being the Kazekage makes it difficult.

"As for Sasuke . . . Sasuke tends to be very focused on his own pain. You know this. But he did change because of you. Even I told you to give up on him, to kill him at the summit. That it would prepare you to make the hard choices that will come with being the Hokage. You stuck to your beliefs and managed to do the impossible. You brought him back and made him who he once was. I'm not saying that he will return your feelings one day, but he understands you better than most in this village. Running away from him now, wouldn't be right. If he never forgave you, it would be different, but he did. Sasuke does care for you. Maybe not as a lover, but a very good friend. Maybe he is one you can confide in, and help ease some of your pain."

Naruto was staring at Gaara wide eyed and his jaw slack. "I can't believe you gave me a speech. First Hinata and now you? Since when did you guys learn to talk so much?"

"I hardly think that's important, but to answer your question, I learned how to give speeches during my time as Kazekage. You should consider yourself lucky. You seem to be born with the gift to convince people to see things your way."

The blonde laughed. "Yeah right. If that was true, I wouldn't have been the academy clown for so long."

"It is true. You have managed to move nations. When you become Hokage, it will be an honor to work with you."

"Geez, Gaara, your flattering me." Naruto grinned, causing to Gaara to smile again as well.

The waitress brought their food, and the conversation turned to current events. Naruto told the Kazekage about their intruder and their suspicions. He knew that the information was classified, but it seemed important to tell Gaara and at least have his eye out for anything suspicious. There was no evidence that the intruder was solely focused on the leaf. If they infiltrated Suna too, that would leave two compromised villages. Plus he knew his red headed friend would stay quiet about the matters, he did manage to avoid the topic on how he ended up living with Sasuke. Gaara noticed of course, and didn't press for more information. He knew that the information Naruto was giving him was classified and was selective in how he phrased things. How he managed to live with the Uchiha was obviously involved somehow.

When the subject had been thoroughly discussed and analyzed, they both had finished eating and ready to go their separate ways. Gaara had a meeting with the Hokage which he was late for, but didn't mention it to Naruto. Tsunade would understand. That and she had no choice in the matter. She would have to show respect to her guest even if she was pissed that she had been kept waiting else it could cause a rift in the alliance between the Leaf and Sand. Not that Gaara would allow that to happen.

Naruto left first, putting his money for the meal on the table. He was also late for his own meeting with the other ANBU captains. So Gaara let him go fist before rising from the table, placing his own money on the table. As he walked out, he paused at the table with the middle aged woman. "If he lets himself be vulnerable and you hurt him knowing what you do now, I will kill you. Understand, Uchiha?" The Kazekage didn't wait for an answer; he left the restaurant leaving the stunned raven behind.

* * *

"Stupid elders. Who do they think they are?" Naruto kicked at the dust in front of him, watching it fly into the air. The meeting was long. The elders had tried to make the whole incident his fault. If Naruto had to guess, they had found out about Itachi, and they were pushing for him to get rid of the man. He knew they were scared. Scared that Itachi would regain his memory and implicate them. What was worse, was that the ANBU captains had agreed with them. And the icing on the cake was Naruto could say nothing that could actually save him. He wasn't allowed to tell the others the truth. Itachi had wanted the truth to die with him and the Sandaime was dead and unable to verify anything. That just his, Sasuke's, Kakashi's, and Yamato's word. Sasuke's word would be thrown out without consideration. Kakashi and Yamato heard it from the enemy so it was unreliable information, and while Naruto did have some weight, it wasn't enough by himself. Tsunade finding some evidence that the Sandaime might have left behind was Itachi's only real hope.

How was he going to tell Sasuke? Sasuke would kill him. No, killing him was being too nice. There would be nothing left. Once back on Uchiha grounds, the blonde felt himself relax some. It almost felt like he was home. Almost. It was nice hearing someone saying welcome back to him when he came home. Granted, Sasuke never said that, but he was still there waiting for him.

He was almost to the front of the main gate when he saw the medic nin who was suppose to be with Itachi standing outside. He couldn't remember her name though.

"Hey . . . Yuri," he guessed. When she looked up, he smiled. "What are you doing out here?"

She huffed. "Itachi and that ANBU woman went inside about 20 minutes ago. They were supposed to be out a while ago."

"Isn't your shift over?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, but I was waiting for Ayumi. She seemed strangely attached to Itachi-san, so I wanted to have a word with her. You know, to remind her about getting too close to her targets. I could barely drag her away from Itachi's side. I think she has developed a crush."

"I'll talk to her. I'm heading inside anyway. You can go home now."

"Thank you Naruto-kun." The woman bowed and eagerly took her leave.

These were conversations he hated having with his colleges, but he had to admit, he was a bit curious about the woman who had a crush on her target. Did she believe he was innocent and truly like him or was she one of those fangirls Uchiha's always seemed to attract? Either way he prepared himself for whatever scene he may find.

He hadn't expected Itachi to be sprawled out on the couch asleep. It seemed so un-Uchiha like. "Oi, Itachi, you awake?"

A soft groan escaped the man. "I am now." His eyes opened slowly, staring at the ceiling before drifting over to Naruto. It seemed to take a moment to focus.

"Hey, are you alright? You seem a bit out of it."

Itachi continued to stare a little longer then closed his eyes. "I am fine. Is Sasuke home yet?"

"No, he had to substitute for another instructor. I got word that he has the genins running drills until sundown for goofing around earlier." Naruto still couldn't pull his eyes off of Itachi. "So, I hear you've been getting to know one of the guards."

"You mean Ayumi."

So much for subtly. Naruto didn't really know why he tried. "Yeah her. What do you think of her?"

"She seems nice." And that was all he said. Apparently he wasn't going to elaborate.

Sighing, he decided to get right to it. "Okay let's just cut through the crap. Is she here?"

Itachi raised a delicate eyebrow. "No, she's not. She left after escorting me inside."

"Really? Maybe Yuri just missed her then," he murmured, taking a seat. "I should take you to the training grounds tomorrow. We upgraded them when we had to rebuild. We got this cool new-"

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but I'm not feeling well. I think I'll head to bed early." Itachi looked a bit pale as he stood from the couch. Probably from his excursions that day. He still had a few broken ribs, and a few fractures. That was enough to exhaust someone on their feet all day.

"Do you need help getting to bed?"

"I'll be alright." With a small bow of his head, he murmured goodnight and excused himself.

Naruto decided to take the time to get through some of his paperwork while he waited for Sasuke. He wanted to put Gaara's plan into action as soon as possible. He had some good suggestions to help corner the guy they were looking for. He just had to iron out the details for the little trap.

He was so engrossed in the details of his scheme; he didn't notice Sasuke enter the room.

"Still up dobe? I thought you would have gone to sleep already."

Naruto absentmindedly murmured "Teme" and said nothing else. It was interesting seeing Naruto caught up in something. Sasuke sat across from the blonde and observed. Before him on the coffee table were papers and scrolls spread out before him. Sasuke recognized a few maps to be of Konoha's territory, the ANBU hideout, and outline of the training grounds. What could Naruto possible want with those?

"How was your day?" The blonde hadn't looked up from his work, whatever it was, when he spoke.

"What? Are we married dobe?" Sasuke had said, in an attempt for a joke. He realized too late that it was probably not the best thing to say when Naruto paused in his writing.

"No, guess we're not." No retort or joke back.

The raven closed his eyes. "It was challenging. The brats decided they didn't have to listen to a 'traitor'."

"So what did you do?" The blonde continued writing, so Sasuke decided that was a good sign.

"Remember when we did the bell test with Kakashi, and I thought I cornered him?"

Naruto grinned. He remembered that event well. Kakashi had grabbed his ankle and pulled the raven under until his head was the only thing above ground. "How long did you keep them there?"

"A few hours through lunch. The takoyaki was good."

"You ate in front of them? You are such a bastard." Naruto put his pencil down and finally looked up at the raven with amusement.

"At least I let them out. I could have kept them there until sundown instead of running drills."

"True. Seems you had a better day then me."

"Did you not enjoy your time with the Kazekage?" The question came out bitter. Sasuke never did like Gaara all too much. Not since the time Gaara had defeated him as children.

"No Gaara was great. He gave me some useful insight on some things. The problem is the elders. . . "

"Don't tell me those morons objected to your captaincy again."

"No they . . . Sasuke, can I be honest with you?"

Naruto's face gave away many emotions, all that the blonde seemed desperate to hide. Among those emotions were fear and uncertainty. Gaara's earlier words came to the forefront of his mind. Was this what he meant by making himself vulnerable? "Yeah."

Instead of speaking immediately, Naruto took his time cleaning up the papers and scroll, organizing his thoughts. Sasuke waited patiently, curious as to what Naruto wanted to share with him. "The reason I didn't go to you and tell you about Itachi's existence was purely for selfish reasons. " He started out saying. "I was terrified that because of Itachi you would leave us . . . leave me. If Itachi decides to leave, you would go with him. If I am ordered to kill him, I'm afraid you'll try to exact your revenge on Konoha again." Finally gathering enough courage, he met Sasuke's eyes. "When I initially found him, I wanted to get rid of him, so you wouldn't be tempted, but now . . . he's kind of like the brother I never had. I can see why you would do so much for him. I want to protect him as much as you do."

The young Uchiha was too surprised to speak. He had not expected the subject to be brought up again. He was ready to say that the dobe was being an idiot. He wouldn't leave the village. He understood now that he had disgraced his brother's memory by trying to destroy the village his brother had died protecting. There was no possible way that he would act as he had years back. But he was unable to say it. He couldn't. What had he done when he found out about Itachi's existence? He had lost his head, attacked his captain, and had been extremely protective until he had brought his brother home. Old feelings towards the leaf had resurfaced. He could not say with confidence that Naruto's worries were stupid. What the blonde had speculated was a possible truth even now.

Since Sasuke had yet to try to kill him for admitting his selfish desire to get rid of Itachi at first, Naruto continued. "I've been hurting you a lot lately, and I'm sorry. You're the last person I want to hurt. I'm glad you're still my friend, and I'll do everything I can to keep Itachi safe. I promise."

"Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?" The raven whispered.

"Is that what it sounds like?" the blonde laughed awkwardly. "It's not supposed to. I just wanted to get it off my chest."

"You're still going to Suna aren't you?" Naruto wouldn't answer confirming Sasuke's suspicions. He thought Gaara had dissuaded Naruto of that. "I can't believe you're still depressed about that night. I've put it behind me why can't you? What gives you the right to run away?"

"I'm trying to protect you bastard!"

"I don't need protection. I get it. You made a big fucking mistake. You feel guilty about it. Get over it. You're needed here."

"I promise to make sure Itachi safe before I go. Konoha can handle everything until I get back." Naruto had gathered the material on the coffee table and was ready to leave the room. His back was turned at Sasuke's sudden outburst.

"I don't give a fuck about Konoha! I need you here!"

His body froze, all his muscles locked at the sudden declaration.

"I need you here," Sasuke repeated quietly as he crossed the short distance to stand behind Naruto. "When my family was killed, you were the only one who understood how it felt to be alone. You came after me when no one else will. And you were my only family for almost as long as I can remember."

"Itachi is here now. That brother position that I've filled, is no longer there. You're not alone anymore."

"No, but I'm a selfish bastard too. I don't want you to leave."

"Sasuke . . ."

Sasuke's strong, lean arms wrapped around Naruto's shoulders, his dark bangs brushing Naruto's pale cheek, his front to Naruto's back. "Don't leave," he whispered.

"Sasuke . . . . Let me go." Naruto swore his heart was going to beat out of his chest. This wasn't happening. It was just another dream he would wake up from. Sasuke wasn't holding him right now.

"Dobe, for once in your life shut up and do as I say for once." His breath caressed Naruto's ear.

It was difficult to push down his desire, but Naruto managed it. "Shut up yourself Teme, you have no idea what you're doing to me. Please let me go."

"What will you do if I do let you go?"

Run out of the house and lock himself in his apartment until he calmed down most likely. "Probably eat some dinner."

"I don't feel like it."

"Teme-"

"I won't let you go until you promise to stay."

"And you call me childish," he murmured.

"Naruto I think I . . . " Sasuke had started, but didn't continue.

"You think what teme?" He could barely breathe, hanging on whatever Sasuke was going to say next.

"I think I-" A loud crash interrupted them. Sasuke let go of the blonde immediately. The sound had come from Itachi's room.

Both men hurried to the room and threw open the door. A crystal vase was smashed at Itachi's feet, water spreading across the wooden floor and flowers scattered around him. What shocked them was Itachi. He was staring at his hands, his whole body shaking when they came in. Then he looked up at them, tears streaming down his face, eyes filled with such sadness and disbelief that neither man thought it impossible to convey such deep feelings with just a look. He spoke. His voice struggled to stay in control of his emotions and the breath seemed to escape him when he tried to speak, but he did get it manage to get it out and cause the two men's blood to run cold. "S-sasuke, d-d-did I kill our parents?"


	13. Not Quite What You Think

"How is he?" Naruto asked quietly when Sakura emerged. He was standing just outside Itachi's room, leaning against the wall. After they had found the man just on the edge of a panic attack, they had called for the medic nin on duty to come check up on him while they put Itachi to bed. He was in so much shock that he hadn't protested or demanded any answers. The blonde was sure he had more of the lines passed out then actually fell asleep on his own. Afterwards, Naruto had sent Sasuke to the living room so Sakura could do her thing. That and he knew the raven would need time to figure out exactly what he was going to tell his older brother.

"Still asleep. It seemed he was having another nightmare, so I gave him a sedative."

He nodded acknowledging what she said. "Looks like I'm going to have to move forward with my plans early." He murmured, quickly going over the details in his head. "Sakura, I need you to inform Inoichi that I want all ANBU members to undergo his interrogation. He goes directly into the mind, so we might get something. Start with the guards surrounding the Uchiha house, specifically a guard named Ayumi. She was with Itachi last."

"Naruto . . . did you consider that it's just his amnesia fading?"

"I've considered it, but she was supposedly here for 20 minutes and hadn't been seen leaving even when I came back. It's just a precaution."

"Alright. I'll inform him." She looked down the hall towards the living room where she knew Sasuke was waiting. "I wish he wasn't here. He's making Sasuke miserable all over again. I don't even know why he wants Itachi back in his life."

"Let's just say there's more to the Uchiha massacre than most people know." He shared a meaningful glance with her, asking her to not pry more than that.

"I have to head back to the hospital. I'll relay your order before then."

"Thanks Sakura-chan. Have a good night."

"I'll try." He saw her out, his thoughts going back to Sasuke. What was he going to say? Curiosity was killing him.

Sasuke was still sitting on the couch where the blonde had left him, his forehead in his hand. Naruto hadn't thought the raven knew he had entered, and was surprised when he spoke first. "How is he?"

"Sleeping. He's in shock, and he'll want answers when he wakes."

"I see. I guess I had to tell him sooner or later. You know he cried that night too. Just before he killed our parents and when he left the village."

"Sasuke . . ."

The raven lifted his head. "I'm alright. I was just hoping that he never remembered."

Naruto sat across from him. "I know this isn't the most opportune moment to ask but . . . what were you going to say before this all happened?"

"I was going to say that I think I would be unable to work under anyone else if you leave. You are the only competent captain in ANBU, and I refuse to work under anyone else because no one else is up to my level, so you have to stay." Sasuke replied without missing a beat.

Naruto stared at him blankly. "That was it?"

"What did you think I was going to say?" Sasuke didn't seem to be ruffled at all. In fact, he seemed rather calm, giving everything that had happened. So Naruto did the only thing he could think of, he continued to stare inanely at the raven. "What?"

"I-it's nothing," was his hurried replied. With a lame excuse that even he didn't believe, Naruto left the room as fast as his legs could carry him, and it didn't seem fast enough.

Really, what was he expecting? A love confession? From that heartless jerk? He already said he was straight, so why did he expect anything? Knowing that didn't comfort him any. He still felt tears sting his eyes and he tried to hold them back. He wouldn't cry. There was nothing to cry about really.

When he got to his room, he locked the door behind to compose himself. Sasuke had pleaded him to stay, admitted that he needed him. That was something. Sasuke never begged for anything. The raven had even held him, just so he would stay. Sasuke was serious about the blonde not leaving for Suna. A small comfort really, but it was something. He would do anything for Sasuke. If he begged . . . Naruto would have no choice. He'd have to stay. At least until Sasuke changed his mind, whenever that may be.

* * *

"Aniki, are you awake?" Sasuke had waited as long as he could before the urge to see his brother made him move. As much as he did not want to explain what really happened in the past, he wanted to make sure his brother was alright. He knew Itachi would lie about his condition if he asked, so he had to see his brother with his own eyes.

"I am," the man answered. Itachi slowly opened his eyes, staring vacantly at the ceiling. He was still a bit pale, and it had the younger man worried. Even more concern was called for when the older Uchiha kept his emotions hidden behind perfectly blank face. Sasuke hadn't seen his brother make such a face since the time when his aniki was in the Akatsuki.

Sasuke pulled up a chair, sitting at his brother's bedside. "Nii-san . . . I'm sorry I did not tell you the truth about our parent's demise."

"So it is true." Neither brother spoke for several minutes. Sasuke didn't really know where to go from there. Fortunately, Itachi saved him by saying something first. "I can understand why you didn't tell me, and why I've been treated like a criminal."

"How much do you remember?"

Itachi closed his eyes, trying to sort through his thoughts and memories. "It played like a movie, starting from putting on my ANBU uniform until just after leaving you unconscious. The memory is . . . detailed. Painfully so, like I was reliving the moment." The slight tremor in his voice gave away how deep the emotions ran that Itachi tried to keep hidden from his little brother.

Sasuke knew that his brother was suffering and that it was all because he had been a coward. If the information had been disclosed to Itachi shortly after he had awakened, it would have been easier to acclimate to the memories. Instead, it hit Itachi at full force with no warning. The shock alone had been enough to make him lose consciousness. With his body still healing from whatever ordeal he had been through, the stress had caused his condition to worsen temporarily with a high fever, which had induced nightmares, dizziness, and nausea all which could have been prevented if the truth had been told off the bat.

Moving his brother's bangs out of the way, Sasuke placed the cold compress he had been carrying onto his forehead. "Focus on regaining your strength. It's my turn to take care of you."

"It is not your job to take ca-"

"Let me tell you what really happened these past 14 years." The young raven immediately cut him off. _Let me explain why it's my turn to take care of you._

Sasuke told him about the coup, and how Itachi had wanted to stop another war that would weaken the village, intentionally leaving out that it had been the leaf village that had ordered it. How Shusui had trusted him to take care of the village. How Itachi had given up honor and love to live in disgrace and loneliness to save Sasuke. How he had made Sasuke live in hatred so that Sasuke would survive no matter what. And even though Itachi had to leave everything behind, he spent his time giving the village intelligence on the Akatsuki. And finally, how Sasuke killed him although he had made it sound like he had failed, and that was why it was a surprise when they had found him. He also told his brother that he had left the village to become a rogue to hunt him down and that was why the villagers hated him as well.

When Sasuke had finished his tale, silence once again filled the room. And again, Itachi was the first one to break it the moment everything Sasuke had said sunk in. "Forgive me, Sasuke, it seems I have continuously failed you."

"Aniki, everything you have done was to protect me. Watching me, taking care of me even after you left. If it wasn't for you . . . I would be dead." And it was the truth. Bitter thoughts started to occupy his mind. If Itachi hadn't done the job, and hadn't threatened the elders that he would expose the truth, then Danzo would have killed him for sure.

"Could you give me a moment to myself Sasuke? It is . . . a lot to take in."

"Try to get some sleep." His brother didn't respond and Sasuke couldn't blame him. He knew Itachi hadn't believed his lie before, but there was no doubt that he hadn't expected the truth to be as gruesome as it was. Hell, Sasuke could barely believe it was his life half the time.

Quietly, he closed the door behind him. He would check in again in an hour or so to change the compress and keep an eye on his fever. Until then, he had lesson plans to go over for tomorrow.

* * *

"All of them are clean," Naruto murmured as he looked over the reports. "Well then I guess the intruder has left. If my senjutsu and Inoichi didn't pick up anything, then there's nothing to worry about." Naruto smiled brightly at Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane. We should start to go back to our normal routines. Just keep some extra guards and sensor types in each group just in case."

The two men looked at each other before returning their gaze to the smiling man in front of them. "You sure?" Izumo asked. "It's not like we have evidence that we're in the clear."

"Hey, who's ANBU captain around here? Don't worry about it. My senjutsu has never been wrong before and even if they somehow got passed my senses, they shouldn't have gotten past Inoichi. They may copy memories, chakra channels, and appearance, but they can't hide their own mind from themselves. Inoichi has cleared all ANBU members. He'll be conducting random interrogations just to make sure the imposter doesn't slip into our ranks as a precaution."

The two men seemed satisfied with the answer and left the matter alone. Naruto was in a great mood, and he wouldn't be able to tell anyone why. He wasn't sure himself. He woke up and felt great. It had _nothing_ to do with the fact that he saw Sasuke in an apron making him breakfast this morning, and he definitely didn't have any dreams about Sasuke in that said apron when he took a nap before reporting to work. Even before that he felt good though. Maybe it was because for once things were going alright. Work was going well, he received a recommendation for Konohamaru to be promoted to jounin, and Gaara had told him that Shikamaru and Temari were going to announce their engagement, which was the main reason he was in Konoha visiting. Yes, it was hard to sulk with such good things happening.

As he walked home, he stared at the letter in his hand. Should he send it? It might work.

"Naruto-kun, back so soon?" Yuri was leaving the Uchiha complex, medical bag in hand.

"Hey Yuri. How's Itachi?"

The woman looked annoyed. "He's always trying to get up from bed to do things. Never mind he still has 2 broken ribs, a fractured collar bone, and other problems. No, he wants to go walk about and do chores. Then he's not even an ass about it. He's all polite and genuinely sorry about causing me more work, so I can't even stay mad at him." Her green eyes finally noticed the letter in his hands. "What's that?"

The blonde opened his mouth to speak, but he became distracted. An ANBU walked up to them, and she was stunningly beautiful. Long dark hair, deep violet eyes, perfect skin, and had a gentle smile that stopped people in their tracks. The ANBU's name was Ayumi. Naruto had made an effort to meet her after the incident with Itachi. He had no idea how he had missed meeting this particular person before. The meeting was memorable. She was a very astute, confident woman and she projected it well, but she was also well mannered and quite gentle which reminded him of Hinata in that regard.

"Good morning Uzumaki-taichou, I see you are back early." She said. "You came just in time. Yuri-san is not being practical. She intends to keep Uchiha-san in the house indefinitely."

The smaller woman scoffed, pushing her sandy brown hair behind her ear. "Hardly, he's not ready to be moving about. He needs to finish healing before he can go gallivanting about. "

"One cannot heal if one has to stay in an empty house and breathe in stale air consistently. It will be much more beneficial for him to be able to exercise lightly by walking about and strengthening other aspects of his damaged body while keeping an eye on him and preventing further damage on his person." Ayumi easily countered with a slight smirk on her lips.

"Since when did you become a doctor?!"

"Now, now, let's not fight." Naruto jumped in without thinking. As many times as he intervened in a woman's fight, he should have known better. Both pairs of eyes turned on him. "Hey, I think I hear Sasuke calling me," he forced a nervous laugh.

The shorter woman rolled her eyes. "Never mind. I'll leave first if only to spare myself from such lame excuses." She stormed off angrily, muttering about useless men and causing her aneurisms.

"She needs a vacation," Naruto muttered, staring at the retreating figure.

Ayumi let out a soft chuckle. "She may be overbearing, but she cares deeply for her patients. Practically a mother hen; however, sometimes that causes more harm than good when dealing with someone who is quite restless." She gave him a beautiful smile. "And Uchiha-san is very restless, although he won't admit it even if it kills him."

"It's an Uchiha thing. Their father wasn't all that big on big displays of emotions. Especially the ones that make you seem vulnerable."

"I noticed. Well Uzumaki-taicho, I will be taking my leave for today. Enjoy the rest of your night." Ayumi bowed her head to him before disappearing from his sight. He had to admit, she was one of the few who could escape his senses so easily.

He looked at the letter in his hands, stealing his resolve. He had to send it sooner or later. "Alright, let's get this done."

* * *

"I'm home." Sasuke yawned, taking off his shoes before entering the house.

"Welcome home," Itachi, who was supposed to still be condemned to bed rest, greeted him, wearing a pair of workout clothes.

Sasuke looked at him disapprovingly if not a bit annoyed. "Where are you going?"

"Training grounds. Naruto-kun said they had updated the equipment." Itachi kept his eyes focused on putting on his shoes. Itachi hadn't quite looked at him since the incident.

"You're still injured." Sasuke protested.

Itachi just strapped Sasuke's spare weapon pouch to his leg. "I'm finding it difficult to stay in the house," he answered quietly. "I'm sure you know how I feel."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The raven protested too quickly, sounding defensive.

"You haven't been back in this house since the massacre."

"There was no point in living in an empty house by myself. I was seven it happened."

"You avoid mother and father's room, and father's study, and the room leading out to the courtyard,"

Sasuke did show reaction to that, anger taking over his features. "So what," he snapped.

"I noticed you couldn't get the blood stains out." Itachi sounded so calm when he spoke, like he was just stating facts and not trying to antagonize his brother.

"What the hell do you want me to say Itachi?" he growled. "I avoid the room where I saw our parents' dead body, or the rooms where I have the most memories of them? Sometimes it's so fucking hard to go into the kitchen without remembering mom cooking for us or dad reading the paper at the table that I just skip a meal or eat out, but I live with it. We both have to live with it."

"That is my point." The eldest Uchiha finally looked up at Sasuke. "At this moment, I cannot deal with the memories. While it has been 14 years for you to cope with the incident, to me . . . it feels like it happened just yesterday."

Sasuke watched his brother stand, his back to him. The scene was all too familiar. Always seeing his brother's back just before he walked away, right after saying, " _Forgive me, Sasuke. Next time."_ This time, Itachi didn't say it to him. "I'll be back before dinner."

Sasuke watched his brother leave. He had been avoiding those thoughts and emotions as long as he could, pretending that he hadn't felt them. It was easier to live in this house that way. As long as he did things with a purpose and stayed away from things that triggered memories, he was able to get by. Of course his brother had to point out the fact he was technically living in denial before leaving him alone in the house that he tried not to think about. Yup, sounded like his asshole of a brother.

He decided it was best to avoid the kitchen for now and go straight to his room. He wasn't quite ready to be honest with himself on how he felt.

He went to his old desk, the one he used to study with when he had first entered the academy. He had been so happy when his father had bought it for him. He had it handmade just for him with the Uchiha fan engraved in its side. He took a seat in front of it. He didn't sit at it often even though he had resolved to use it when he moved back in. He brought all his work from the desk in his apartment and stored everything in this one, but he still hadn't used it. Now that he had to make lesson plans, it seemed like a good idea to start. He sat there for a moment, staring at the desk. It felt like being a kid again. He was even doing work related to the academy. _I expect you to do well, Sasuke. You're mother and I expect you to excel as Itachi has done._ He took a deep breath. He could do this. Slowly he reached into his desk for the lesson plans.

An eyebrow rose when he noticed a note on top of his notebook. Curious, he picked up the note to read it. It was from Naruto. He wanted to meet up later to discuss something important. Probably about what happened yesterday. Glancing at the clock, he stood up. If he left now, he should be able to get there a bit early.

He looked through his wardrobe debating on what he should wear before he gave up and chose something simple. Anything was better than his work clothes. He felt just a bit anxious, and he didn't know why. It was just the dobe. Thinking about the blonde made his heart rate rise. Why? He didn't understand it. It wasn't like this was his first meeting with him.

He couldn't dwell on it though. It gave him a reason to leave the manor. That was good enough. Checking his appearance once in the mirror, he left.

* * *

Sasuke looked at his watch. He was late as usual. Figures. He sat on one of the old benches that were available at the abandoned playground. It was near the outskirts of the village and had been severely damaged during pain's attack. Since it was an old playground already and it was barely used, the village had decided not to fix it up. It was in such a bad location that no one frequented the area anymore anyway, so it wasn't a major loss. There were better playgrounds in better locations to choose from. Now it was pretty much forgotten with nothing but trees and bushes around it.

"Sasuke, glad you made it." The raven turned to see the blonde running out of the woods. He had his big wide grin plastered to his face. "I was afraid you weren't going to come."

"Shut up usuratonkachi. You said it was important." He smirked, watching the blonde approach him. "So what is it? What's so important?"

"Always to business teme, chill out. I have some things to say first." The blonde stopped in front of him, blushing slightly.

Sasuke stood up to meet him. "Well spit it out. I don't have all day."

"I just need to tell you," Naruto took one step closer, leaving barely any room between them. "I think I figured out who the intruder is."

"Who?" Sasuke said impatiently. When Naruto didn't answer, he frowned ."Well ?" Sasuke didn't see him move, but he felt the pain. He stumbled backwards and his shaking hands reached up, touching the sword that was currently through his chest. "N-Naruto . . .?"


	14. Misery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up to chapter 22 on fanfiction now posted.

"Hey, do you think Naruto was being strange?" Izumo asked.

Kotetsu looked up from his paperwork, adjusting the bandages on his nose. "What do you mean?"

"Well lightening the guards around the village after the reports came back, like nothing happened and being so confident that the imposter left, isn't it strange?"

Kotetsu chuckled. "You still haven't realized it? Naruto may come off as a dunce, but he's a skilled tactician. He's the type to set up a pattern of attacks to lure an enemy into a false sense of security then change his strategy unexpectedly."

Izumo paused to write down the information of the new visitor who just walked through the village gates. "So you're saying he was setting up a trap."

Kotetsu waited for the visitor to leave before responding. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

Naruto smiled as he watched Sasuke fall to his knees. "Worthless, I can't believe you let your guard down." He laughed. He laughed until he felt the cold metal of a kunai pressed to his neck.

"Yeah, I can't believe you let your guard down. Have to admit, if you didn't turn into me, I wouldn't have known it was an imposter either."

Sasuke looked up at the imposter smirking, before he disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Impressive, to keep a shadow clone around for so long after it was impaled." He shifted his eyes to look at the man in the fox mask who stood behind him, holding the kunai.

"I'm the only one with enough chakra and willpower to keep them around for a little while after their limit's been reached. It comes in handy once in a while." Like his battle with Neji in the chunin exams. He kept it around long enough for a finishing blow.

"Uzumaki, I am impressed. This trap seems quite elaborate for someone like you." The imposter smirked.

"I am the hero of the Leaf. Don't underestimate me."

"Don't worry. I never underestimate my opponents." The imposter released his transformation jutsu. Naruto moved in for the attack, but the man had shrunk by a head, his frame more slender, easily slipping out of his grip before he could adjust to the new body size. Distance was easily put between them. "I can't afford to get caught yet." The imposter wore a green cloak, covering his face from Naruto's view.

"Sorry, I can't let you get away so easily. Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Four clones appeared next to him.

"That technique is useless on me." He casually waved his hand and the shadow clone jutsu was released.

"H-how?"

"I expected you might pull a stunt like this, so I prepared beforehand. Even your frog kumite will be useless with me." He took a few steps towards the captain.

Naruto tried to move but he couldn't. His body was immobile as if he was encased in lead. What did that bastard do? He didn't make any hand signs or any suspicious movements since he entered the clearing. Naruto had watched the whole exchange from his place in the shadows.

The man brought his slender hand up to the captain's face, caressing the mask with his index finger. Grabbing the edge, he pulled the blonde's mask off in a fluid motion, throwing it to the side. "You see captain. I am smarter than you, I am stronger than you, and I will do as I please. You can't stop me or my ambitions." His left hand disappeared into his right sleeve and pulled out a blade. "Do not feel bad captain. If it was anyone else, your plan would have worked. It is unfortunate that I'm not getting rid of Sasuke tonight, but it is fortunate that you were unable to trust anyone else with your plan." He stabbed the blade just between his ribs. "I can take my time killing you." The blade was removed swiftly, doing little extra damage. "In fact, I can leave you here to bleed out, but not before one last wound." The man's slender hands trailed along his arms, touching him lightly, almost sensually. His hands reached the claps of his ANBU vest. He released them, removing his vest."You sure do have a good body captain. I can see why Sasuke is so confused." The man sounded quite amused. "He is asexual you know. He's never been sexually attracted to anyone before. I feel bad for the women he's dated, doing it just to seem normal. But you, you make him reconsider."

"B-bas. . .stard." Naruto glared. His body trembled. Where were they? They should have been here by now.

"Now, now Naruto-taichou, I would never do what you did to Sasuke." The man watched the blonde pale. "That's right; I always have eyes on you two. That's why I am aware that Sasuke always gets the plates in your apartment or that Sasuke always paces three times outside his home before he confronts you after you two have fought. I know everything." The man's hands traveled over his chest and down to his wound. "It's easier to make a clean wound without that vest in the way. " Without warning, the imposter's fingers dug into his wound.

The captain gasped, unable to make any other noise due to his immobilization.

"Doesn't seem like I hit anything important," he withdrew his fingers, blood flowing faster than before. "Now for your other wound . . ." His knife traveled up his chest, ripping his black undershirt and leaving a thin trail of blood behind. "I think one punctured lung should suffice. Just a small puncture. Wouldn't want you to suffocate too quickly. You might actually survive if someone finds you in time. _If_ they find you." He pushed the knife in slowly into his chest. "Just a small puncture. You have 20 minutes for someone to find you before you choke on your own blood. However you might bleed to death before then first."

The wounds were too deep for Kyuubi to heal it that fast. It would take a week to heal something like this. He was on his own, and he could already feel the blood slowly filling one lung.

"Enjoy the rest of your night, Naruto-taichou." The man smiled. Removing the dagger from his chest, he turned on his heel, walking away casually as if he had all the time in the world to get away. If Naruto could move, he'd be able to stop him. He was right in front of him.

But he couldn't. He watched in agony as the man walked away, unable to stop him. He was powerless to help himself as he continued to be immobile for another five minutes before he was release, out of the jutsu user's range. With his adrenaline having worn off and the jutsu no longer holding him up, he had no strength to stand and fell to the ground. His strength was draining from him quickly. He could taste blood in his mouth and breathing was getting hard. Was he really going to go out like this? Alone? And so easily to boot?

He looked to the direction of the village. His vision was blurry. He would not be able to get help on his own power. At least he told Sasuke he loved him. He wouldn't have any regrets concerning him. It sucked he was so close to being Hokage though. He wanted to show the village what he was capable of. And he never did tell Sakura that he was the one who threw up in her hat at last year's Christmas party. He also never finished cleaning out his mentor's storage shed. What was his mentor's name again? Why couldn't he remember? It was getting so hard to think. How long had he been lying here? It didn't feel that long. His head felt heavy. He struggled, lifting his arm, reaching out in front of him, his arm trembling. "S-sas . . . suke. . . . S-s-sa . . . .ke."

* * *

"That idiot! How could he go alone?!" Sasuke grumbled, racing through the tree branches. He had gone to the meeting place that Naruto had told him to go to in the letter. It didn't take him long to realize he was being watched by ANBU. He had been weary at first but after confronting them, he had found out that he wasn't being watched but guarded. And that it was Naruto who had set them there.

It took him only a few minutes to figure out what exactly his captain had tried to pull. So now he was searching all the locations he could think of that was secluded from the village, looking for that idiot. He wasn't worried though. He should be fine. He always was. He was strong, the strongest shinobi that he knew of. Even so, he had a bad feeling. A feeling he couldn't shake, and it made him anxious each passing second.

"Uchiha-san, the captain intentionally wanted you to stay away from wherever he was going. Please wait for him." One of the ANBU guards yelled after him. Sasuke didn't know the man's name, and he really didn't give a damn. He was still pissed that Naruto had gone one his own.

"Shut up." Sasuke growled. He was resolved to outrun the ANBU, and he was slowly gaining distance as he searched. He passed a tree, getting out of view of the ANBU chasing him for a moment, allowing him to create a clone for them to follow while he stayed behind. Once the two guards passed him, he headed the correct direction. There was only one more place he could think of. Granted, the ANBU would figure it out soon and locate him again, but it would give him enough time to get there and possibly chew out the blonde if he was there.

He caught sight of the old swing set first and immediately he noticed that there didn't seem to be any signs of a fight. He almost didn't take the time to look around when he noticed that there were no signs of a struggle or his blonde. He was about to move on to another site when he caught a glimpse of the fox masked partially buried in the sand. Recognizing the mask belonged to no other than Naruto, he looked around more carefully that time. Just behind the jungle gym, he saw the crumpled form of his captain in a puddle of his own blood.

The raven couldn't bring himself to move. His eyes didn't want to believe it. His mind had to have been playing a trick on him. He was so convinced that was what it was, but the image didn't go away. It refused to go away. He felt cold and numb. Slowly, one foot forward, then another. He was aware he should have been looking for traps, aware that something dangerous could still be nearby, but he didn't care.

As he got closer, he saw Naruto's pale face clearly, blood on his lips, but he didn't move faster to get to the blonde's side. Naruto was dead. No, it couldn't have been possible. No one could defeat him. He was unstoppable when he put his mind to it, and it had been a preemptive strike. Naruto had the will to win. Naruto should have won.

Sasuke dropped to his knees right beside him. Even if Naruto lost, he couldn't be dead. He couldn't die. He survived with a hole through his chest before, how could he die now? Sasuke forgot how to breathe. He didn't want to breathe. If he took a breath he'd want to take another and another until he was hyperventilating. He wouldn't be able to stop the panic that wanted to worm its way into his chest if he let that happened. "Naruto . . . wake up dobe," he forced out. It came out so frail and vulnerable. He had never been so vulnerable since his parents' death. He had vowed that he would never be that vulnerable and weak again, yet he found he didn't care. "Naruto, wake up. This prank isn't funny."

He stared at the captain's closed eyes. There was no sign of waking. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched his face. It was still warm, but barely. "Naruto." He felt his eyes water. "You can't leave me here you idiot," he whispered. "What the hell am I supposed to do in this shitty village if you're gone?"His tears overflowed, falling onto Naruto's soft, tanned cheek. Carefully, he picked up his head off the ground and cradled his head to his chest as gently as he could while his arms wrapped around him, his face buried in the soft blonde hair. "What about you're fucking dream to become Hokage? You can't die, not yet."

A soft wheezing breath came from the blonde's slightly parted lips. Even with the blonde's mouth so close to his ear, Sasuke had barely heard him. Heart racing, he looked at the blonde in his arms, his eyes open to mere slits and the light very dim in his blue eyes. He moved his lips, trying to speak, but only blood seemed to trail out the corner of his lips.

Relief and horror mixed through the Uchiha's veins. Naruto was alive, but barely. He had to get Naruto treatment now, but the blonde wouldn't survive being moved, and if he left to find a medic nin, Naruto would most likely die before he was able to find someone. What could he do? He wasn't skilled enough in medical ninjutsu to save him. Was Naruto going to die right in front of him? In his arms? Why did he escape his guards? Surely one of them was a medic nin. They could have saved him.

The blond tried to cough to clear his airway but was too weak to be effective, merely causing more blood to flow into his mouth. He was choking.

Sasuke tilted his head, to open his airway before putting his lips to the blondes, taking the blood into his own mouth. It was the only thing he could do to try to keep him from choking. He turned his head, spitting it out into the grass, then returned his lips to the blonde's this time to force air into his remaining lung. He had to keep his mouth clear of blood and force air in between. _Find us ._ He prayed. _Someone find us already._ He could only prevent the inevitable at this rate, a few more minutes at most. He could feel Naruto grow weaker in his arms.

A few minutes and his worse fears happened. The blonde's breathing stopped. He pulled their lips apart, staring at the blonde's face. His eyes were no longer focused; there was no life in them anymore. Sasuke stared at him, unable to think clearly to even try to fix the situation.

He didn't notice the ANBU guards come rushing out of the woods, or how they pried him off of his captain, laying him on his back to start CPR while another tried to feed him a blood pill to replenish his supply and remove the blood from his lungs.

More medics came after some time. They put a breathing mask on him before placing him onto a stretcher and carting him off to the hospital. They must have gotten his heart beating again. Sasuke didn't notice. He only stared at the blood that coated his uniform and stained his hands. Naruto had been dead in his arms. He had lost him for a moment.

An ANBU member had touched him, trying to get his attention and ask what had happened. Nothing got through. He might have even stopped breathing himself. He couldn't remember. He didn't notice his surroundings when he finally stood up and followed someone to the hospital. Someone had sat him down in a chair somewhere. He felt lost in his own mind, unable to pull himself out and face reality. All he could see was the blonde's face, his lifeless face, and the taste of Naruto's blood in his mouth.

Eventually, the ANBU stopped trying to get him to talk, realizing he was in complete shock. It was hard to make a seasoned shinobi go into shock. It was rare for it to happen, but not unheard of, and most didn't know how to deal with it. They could only sympathize. Someone had run to get a doctor to help; however, Sasuke had refused to let the person move him from that spot. He didn't speak to the doctor or even acknowledged the person's presence, and when the doctor had tried to move him from his chair, he almost attacked. The doctor must have realized it because after that, they left him alone. It took some time to realize why he didn't want to move from the chair. It was the chair as close to the emergency room as possible, and Naruto was just beyond the double doors.

What broke through Sasuke's shell was Itachi's hand on his shoulder. The raven didn't know how long his brother had been sitting there. Probably not long if he thought about it, but the action caused Sasuke to look at someone for once instead of through them. His expression was startled at first and for a second he was disoriented, trying to figure out where he was and what was going on, then the situation came back hitting him at full force once again. Naruto was in surgery, he had been dead for a few minutes before they revived him. Panic did get a hold of him this time, clenching his heart, making him feel cold ad causing his body to tremble. "Nii-san," his said. His voice was unsteady. He was trying and failing to keep himself from having a panic attack.

"I'm here Sasuke." Itachi replied soothingly.

"He was dead, Aniki. He was dead in my arms. I didn't know what to do. I panicked." Sasuke was close to hyperventilating. He knew it was coming, and he couldn't stop it.

"No one is faulting you Sasuke. Just breathe slowly. Try to get your breathing under control."

Sasuke showed no signs or attempts of getting his breathing under control. He was drowning, and he had no idea how to swim.

Itachi pulled his brother to him in a gentle hug. "It's okay to cry Sasuke. You don't have to hold it in anymore."

Sasuke cried. It wasn't bawling and he didn't make a huge scene. He was silent, crying against his brother's chest; the only proof of his breakdown being his trembling form. If anyone witnessed his breakdown, they didn't say anything. Sasuke didn't think he could take it if they had. His pride had already taken a beating for crying let alone crying in public. Despite his pride taking a whipping, Sasuke couldn't quite make himself move away from his brother's chest. It kept him grounded in reality. "What if he doesn't make it?" he whispered.

"He will, Sasuke. If everything you told me is right, he won't be going anywhere."

"What if he does?" He pressed again.

"Have faith. If you believe something strong enough, then it will be true. "

Sasuke nodded. "You're right as usual," he closed his eyes.

"Try to sleep."

"I can't. Not until he comes out of surgery."

"You are drained, Otouto. It has been a hard day for you. Try to get some rest. That way, you will have strength for when Naruto-kun wakes. I will wake you the moment the surgeon comes out."

"Thanks." Between the emotional rollercoaster and the late night, he was exhausted. With the promise of not missing a thing, he slumped against Itachi, falling into an uneasy sleep.


	15. Epiphany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More chapters on Fanfiction

Ino exited the emergency room, taking off her surgical mask as a tired sigh escaped her. She had the urge to rub her eyes. It was hard to work on people you know, especially when they are a close friends, and Naruto was almost like that annoying little brother you never wanted but glad to have. She had to hold back tears several times the past 2 hours. Even now she wanted to stop what she was suppose to do and worry herself sick over her friend, but she couldn't. She had a job to do and right now it was informing the Uchiha brothers of Naruto's condition.

"How is he?" Itachi asked as she neared them. He did not bother trying to stand and waking his brother. He merely adjusted the sleeping raven a bit, so he could speak easier.

"Still in there. Sakura is better at medical ninjutsu than I am. She just came in to take my place."

"Is it that bad?"

She nodded grimly, trying to keep her professional face. "He had significant blood loss and a punctured lung, but we managed to get a blood transfusion and clear out his lungs."

"Then what is the problem?"

The blonde kunoichi shifted uncomfortable, just resisting the urge to fidget under Itachi's gaze. "It's almost like he's stopped fighting. Medically wise, he should be stabilizing by now. I know it was close, but we did get to him in time before the damage became irreversible."

Itachi patiently waited for her to continue when she paused for a moment, trying to figure out what she should say. Whatever it was, he knew it wasn't good.

"Even though we attended to the problem, he has gone into cardiac arrest two additional times on the table. In addition to his lack of will to survive, Kyuubi's chakra has yet to kick in to aid the healing process. We don't know what to do."

"Maybe he should be reminded why he should fight." At the comment, both shinobi couldn't help but turned their gaze to the sleeping man.

"I have never seen him so upset before." She said quietly. "He's always so closed off to everyone and death never seemed to faze him. As many comrades that have died in front of him while in ANBU, he never seem that upset about it. He'd get angry of course and avenge them and make sure the mission is seen through to the end to make sure their deaths aren't in vain, but he always seemed to accept it so easily. He never really mourns them. It always made everyone worry because of that attitude. Sure shinobi live in a world of death, but all of us morn in a quiet way. Sasuke always seemed to stick out because of that."

"I suppose that would be my fault." Itachi responded quietly.

"Yeah, it would be." Her soft gaze that was reserved for Sasuke turned hostile when she looked back at the elder brother. "I was surprised to hear that you were alive let alone let you into the hospital."

"I was escorted by my guards. They made sure they cleared out this wing of the hospital when they brought me in to ensure that my presence in the village is still a secret."

"I am shocked they let you back into the village at all. I can't understand why Sasuke would even want you in his life after what you did, never mind look to you for comfort. I nearly had an aneurism a few minutes ago they told me you hadn't kicked the bucket and holding your little brother just outside the ER."

Itachi didn't dignify that with an answer.

"I don't know what all's going on with you two, but if you hurt him. You'll have to answer to me and all his friends."

"I am well aware. I believe a medic named Sakura gives me that speech every time she is forced to help me. "

The blonde woman smiled fondly. She could always trust Sakura to keep a good eye on Sasuke when she wasn't around. "Good. Now that that's out of the way, where were we?"

"I believe we were talking about Sasuke's lack of outward emotional attachment to people when they have died in the line of duty." He said almost dryly.

Ino didn't seem to appreciate the tone of his voice, but let it drop. "Point is, even though we call him our friend, we don't even know if Sasuke feels the same way. I know he would show up if one of us were in the hospital, but I feel it would be more out of duty than genuine worry, and he definitely would not be upset like he is now. Naruto is the exception." She looked depressed. She had thought about this before when they were dating, and she always wondered if the things he did were because it was expected of him rather than wanting to do them. Not with just her, but with all the people who called Sasuke friend.

"I know he is." Itachi interrupted. "They're very good friends."

"Right . . . friends." She closed her eyes and took a moment to recenter herself from her depressing thoughts. "If Naruto continues to have problems, we'll consider having Sasuke come in. If just to see him . . . just in case."

"Of course."

Ino left, not bothering to say goodbye to him. Truthfully, Itachi didn't mind. She wasn't as hostile as some of the others. He could deal with over protective friends even if he was tired, had a pulsing pain in his collar bone from his younger brother pressing against it, and going through his own emotional rollercoaster from a few days prior. It was the people who showed open hostility towards Sasuke that were the problem.

He sat in the hard plastic chair as they waited for more news. During their wait, Sasuke mumbled things about Naruto in his sleep, becoming slightly restless but stayed sleeping much to Itachi's relief. It was better for Sasuke to sleep through the worst part of the waiting. Sasuke would not doubt fall back into shock if he was awake.

It was another 4 hours before Sakura finally came out of the ER, looking tired and grim.

Gently, Itachi shook Sasuke's shoulder, rousing him from his sleep. Sasuke opened his eyes, but he didn't sit up. He continued to stare blankly in front of him.

"Sasuke, I believe Haruno-san has something to tell you." Itachi told him.

The raven didn't say anything at first but eventually he straightened himself in his seat and looked up at Sakura. "How is he?"Itachi didn't miss the look of surprise that crossed Sakura's face at Sasuke's emotionless voice, not the smug, cocky voice she was used to hearing. It made him sound defeated.

She faltered for a moment."Um, right. You can see Naruto now. His heart rate and blood pressure is still really low, but he hasn't gone under for the past hour, so it should be okay for a short visit." She tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"How many times have you lost him?" He asked bluntly, not falling for her professional demeanor in the slightest. He hadn't missed how she phrased the sentence. It had subtlety implied that Naruto's heart had stopped more than once.

Sakura's smile wavered. "Sasuke I don't think that's something you need to kn-"

"Tell me Sakura." His gaze was intense, leaving no room for argument.

"We've been struggling to keep his heart going. It gave out on him 5 times. . . . one of the times we lost him for almost 8 minutes." She admitted. She watched his expression carefully. "Due to how long he was without oxygen . . . he might not wake up the same." She watched him. He still had his emotions concealed behind a perfect mask, and it worried her. "Did you want to see him?"

". . . No." Sasuke looked back down to the floor, staring at the tiles.

"Are you sure?"

The younger Uchiha nodded slowly. "I'll let you know if I change my mind."

"Alright . . . Ino will be back on duty unless there is an emergency. If you need anything, go to her and she'll call me. Alright?"

"Yeah. . . . Thanks Sakura."

The pink haired kunoichi stayed longer than necessary, waiting for him to see if he would change his mind. When he didn't, she excused herself, sparing one last look at him.

"I know you want to see him Otouto. What is bothering you?" Itachi used the soft tone he had reserved for Sasuke when they were children. Normally, Sasuke didn't like the tone since he was an adult, but now he was thankful for it. It was giving him stability.

"I don't want to see him. Simple as that." He replied, but his tone wasn't convincing in the slightest.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Little brother, I know you better than that."

The younger Uchiha stayed silent for a while, still staring at the black and white tiles. "I can't see him. Not yet. That dobe has been the only stable thing in my life ever since the massacre. If that idiot woke up without being himself, . . .". " his voice cracked with emotion he tried hard to hide. He felt shame for being so weak. That he had let others see him this way. His whole life he had tried to be strong and depend on no one, yet it all fell away so easily. He couldn't even bare to look at his brother even though he knew his aniki wouldn't care.

"Does it really matter in the end? Even if he's not the same, will you walk away when he needs you most?"

Silence fell once more as Sasuke thought carefully about the question. "I don't know. I'd have to see him and find out before I can know what I'd do."

"Then you know what you have to do."

A small smile escaped Sasuke. "How do you always know what to say?"

"No matter our physical age, I will still be your older brother." The older raven smiled back at him. "Go talk to Ino when you are ready."

Sasuke was out of the chair and halfway down the hall in a heartbeat. Itachi knew Sasuke wouldn't see Naruto. Not right away at least. Sasuke was still in shock even if not as badly as when he had first arrived. He needed time to gather his composure and figure some things out.

Carefully he rolled his shoulder, or tried to. Sharp pain shot up through his arm and across his chest. He had to suppress a wince and carefully exhaled slowly to keep the pain at a minimum. Breaking a collarbone was one of the most painful bones to break. Every movement seemed to bother it.

"Hey you." Sakura was holding a clipboard staring directly at him. "Come on, I'll reset the bone."

"If I remember correctly, you told me to die a hundred painful deaths to rot in hell. That and you would rather chew off your own arm than ever chose to help me willingly." Itachi chastised himself for letting his pain and fatigue influence his choice of words. He still felt off balance mentally. Normally he wouldn't say something like that outwardly.

The woman flushed in embarrassment. "Do you want it reset or not?!" She snapped.

Wisely, he kept his mouth shut before he said something else that might get him in trouble and followed Sakura to an exam room.

* * *

Sasuke spent about two hours organizing himself before seeking out Ino for permission to enter the ICU ward. The raven had used the time for self inflection to figure out some of his questions. Why had Naruto's death affected him the way it had? How had he been reduced to a scared seven year old boy seeing him like that? What did it mean? What did he want to do about it if he figured out the answer?

He answered some of his questions. Naruto was the most important person in his life next to Itachi, and his condition scared him as much as it would have if it was his brother . . . maybe even more so. Naruto had been more present in his life than Itachi had, and the memories of Itachi he did have were all before he turned eight. That only gave him three to four years of memories that he could actually remember, and a lot of those memories were blurry now because of his young age. Naruto on the other hand had been in his life since he was seven. Minus the two and a half years he had run away that was still eleven years. The longest relationship he had with anyone.

He failed to figure out what exactly Naruto was to him though. He was closer than a friend, more than a brother, but definitely not a lover. He was not ready to touch that topic. In the end, he skipped analyzing that for other concerns.

Now realizing that Naruto was important to him, what was he going to do about it? At the moment, Naruto was unstable, and they don't know if he will stabilize or go into a coma. If he did wake, there was a possibility that he might have suffered brain damage. He might not be the same. That thought scared him the most. What if he didn't wake up as his dobe but a stranger with a different personality, or someone who would no longer remember or care for him, or worse, not being able to be a shinobi anymore due to a mental disability? He spent more time thinking about this than trying to figure out what Naruto meant to him. Would he have the strength to try to cultivate another friendship with someone who didn't remember him? He knew he was very bad at making friends, and he grudgingly admitted to himself that he didn't have the confidence to win the blond to his side. It was even worse if the blonde did remember him and wanted nothing to do with him.

The thoughts were morbid and after a while he knew his pessimistic disposition were fueling the negative thoughts and coming up with worse case scenarios. He also knew the thoughts weren't healthy. By the end of the two hours, he had come up with the same conclusion as before. He would not be able to come up with an answer until he saw the blonde and knew what he was going to work with.

Ino scolded him for taking so long to ask the moment he walked through the door. His response to her long winded lecture was a glare. Unfortunately she seemed immune to it now as she was smiling at him in the middle of her rant. He made a mental note to figure out exactly when his infamous glare had lost its effect. He had no idea she was smiling because to her it meant he had recovered somewhat from his earlier shock.

Naruto had his own room in the ICU ward. The only sounds were the soft beeps of a heart monitor and the sounds of the respiratory machine next to the bed. Two guards stood in the room as well as two more outside the door. He couldn't blame them for being overly cautious. Naruto was defeated and there were no signs of a battle. That was disconcerting at best.

Ino somehow convinced the two ANBU inside the room to stand guard outside. Her diplomacy skills were something to recognize and fear as she managed to convince them to go against orders from the Godaime in a few short arguments. Sasuke was thankful to her for that. He had no desire to have ANBU watching him again. He was 85 percent sure most of the guards thought he was the traitor. It was too coincidental that Naruto had managed to set off both traps that were meant for him and almost get killed by the intruder so easily. The only way to injure someone without any signs of struggle with such clean stab wounds to the front would be for the culprit to literally walk right up and methodically stab him. For that to happen Naruto must have known the enemy because Sasuke seriously doubted Naruto would sit still to be someone's pin cushion. Thus, fingers were being pointed at him.

Naruto himself looked stark white, the color all but drained from his face. Dark rings made themselves known underneath his eyes, making his eyes look sunken. His heartbeat was way too slow and his blood pressure dangerously low. Even Sasuke knew that with just a glance at the monitor, and he knew little about medicine past emergency first aid.

He stood before the blonde's bed, wondering when he would wake. The nurse said he wouldn't wake until he stabilized at the very least. Who knew when that would happen? "Stupid idiot. Why aren't you fighting this? Do you like pissing me off that much?" He took a step closer. "If you die on me again, I'll kill you myself, you got that? Do you know how much crap I have to endure because I have captain like you? You got beaten so easily, their blaming me. You're a disgrace to ANBU," he growled, annoyed. He missed the sudden spike on the monitor. In a gentler tone, he added, "So you better wake up and prove me wrong." Hesitantly, he reached out to brush the blonde's cheek, just to make sure he was really alive. He looked so much like death. It was too unnatural. He had to make sure. Before he made contact, he saw the blonde's hand twitch. Sasuke retracted his hand like he was about to be burned. "Naruto?"

Naruto's eyes struggled against gravity and fatigue for several minutes before his blue eyes revealed themselves, staring right into his dark eyes.

Sasuke knew he should get a nurse. Waking meant he was stabilized, but Sasuke wanted to know, just to make sure.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto said, though it came out muffled through the breathing mask strapped to his face.

The raven felt his heart sink. "Y-you don't know who I am?"

Naruto lifted his hand to remove the mask himself. He could barely hear himself and it appeared to have annoyed the blonde as determination showed in his eyes as he fought to control his shaking hand. "You look like Sasuke." His voice sounded much stronger than he had without the mask but still seemed fragile and rough. "But my Sasuke wouldn't look so pathetic over someone like me." Naruto gave his familiar lopsided grin.

Sasuke found himself wanting to smile in spite of himself, but instead gave the blonde his normal scowl. "Dobe, I can't believe someone like you defeated me. You almost died way too easily. Do you know how many times you went into cardiac arrest?! How would I look if you got beaten by some unknown guy so easily?"

Naruto just looked at him with tired expression. "Now you sound like my Sasuke. That's good. I like seeing him mad, but I like seeing him embarrassed more. He looks like a tomato then." The blond giggled. "I like tomatoes."

It took a second for Sasuke to realize Naruto was out of his mind on drugs. His hypothesis was only confirmed when Naruto made a comment about his hair looking like the butt of a chicken followed by more giggling and a short story about a recent sex dream he had of Sasuke. Ironically, Naruto told the raven to not tell Sasuke or else Sasuke would hate him forever.

The blonde had managed to get the raven to turn really red by the end, and Sasuke was astonished he hadn't tried to leave during the tale. Naruto had worn out all his energy by the end, and he was fighting to keep his eyes open. The raspy sound in his breathing was getting steadily worse; causing the Uchiha to worry. He deemed it time to actually get a nurse. The raven turned, getting ready to excuse himself when Naruto grabbed his hand, forcing Sasuke to stop in his tracks. "Hey, don't tell Sasuke about me being here. I don't want him to know."

"He'll find out," Sasuke responded quietly. "He worries about you."

"No he doesn't. He has his brother now." The blonde's eyes watered. "He doesn't need me anymore. What am I to him now? Not his brother and he already has several friends. I'm . . . replaceable. "

Sasuke felt his heart tug at the broken blonde in front of him, his eyes watery, his face pale, and his very weak grip around his hand. "You are not replaceable Naruto. You mean more than anything to him."

"Then why doesn't he love me? Why doesn't anyone love me? I deserve love to ya know." The blonde's tears over flowed and his heart rate picked up at his anxiety.

Sasuke carefully took Naruto's hand in his. "Yeah, you do. You deserve it more than anyone. In fact, I think Sasuke might return the sentiment."

"Really?" His blue eyes looked so hopeful. Sasuke felt warmth spread through him at the sight.

"Yeah, I think he might."

Naruto had only been awake for about 10 minutes, but his emotional display caused his heart beat to pick up enough to alert the nurses that there was a change in his vitals. Sasuke had separated from Naruto before anyone could see him. He informed the nurses that Naruto had been awake for a short time, and the nurses confirmed that Naruto's vitals were stronger and rapidly improving. Apparently, Naruto's normal regenerative powers had finally decided to kick in.

Ino allowed Sasuke to stay in the room since apparently Sasuke presence was beneficial to the blonde's quick recovery. She did reprimand Sasuke about letting Naruto take his breathing mask off, but Sasuke had ignored her which only infuriated her even more. The Uchiha had other things he had to think about, like why he had pretty much told the blonde that he might be in love with him. Yeah, that one had him stumped.

* * *

The next time Naruto regained consciousness; it had been almost 18 hours. He had been moved to a recovery room complimented with guards and Sasuke. The raven was in the same clothes he was in since he entered the hospital, blood and all. His hair was in total disarray and he definitely needed a shower, but he refused to leave Naruto's side until he woke again.

Naruto woke because of the pain, his meds having worn out. The nurse came in to give him more, but he politely declined them. Naruto no longer had his oxygen mask, having been removed 3 hours prior to his wakening, which was the first real moment where Sasuke was finally assured the blonde was going to be okay. His face had regained some color and the dark rings under his eyes lighter. He was on a steady road to recovery.

Now that Naruto was no longer on pain killers, Naruto's eyes were brighter, more focused, and this time in control of what he was saying. Much to Sasuke's displeasure, the first think out of Naruto's mouth was, "Call a meeting. I want Shikamaru, Gaara, and Temari, in here within the next two hours."

"Can it, usuratonkachi. You are not holding a meeting in your condition." Sasuke glared at him.

Naruto just gave him a hard look. "Shut up bastard. We need a meeting now. The sooner we get on this, the better."

"Then why Gaara and Temari." Sasuke countered.

Naruto looked at the two guards and ordered them out. When they didn't move, he threatened them and did something he never did, used his higher rank against them, the look in his eyes murderous. The guards left quickly after that. Sasuke had never seen the blonde look so tense and angry before. "Gaara and Temari are from Suna. I have a strong feeling the intruders don't want to impersonate others outside the Leaf. They have no reason to unless we're on to them. We can't trust anyone. Shikamaru I'm taking a bet that he isn't in a position to help with their plan. Besides a strategist, he's just a teacher. Unless he's summoned for a particular matter, he tries to stay out of things. You are an obvious target and makes you safe to consult too." He explained quickly.

"Fine, I'll go along with this meeting," Sasuke said giving in. There was no way to change his mind once it was set anyway. "But you're resting afterwards."

The blonde rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. I swear you've been worse than Tsunade lately."

"Promise me dobe. No more work until after you've been cleared by the doctor."

"Fine, stop nagging already." His blues eyes finally took in Sasuke form. "You look like shit," he stated eloquently.

Sasuke looked at himself and grimaced. "I'll be back. Don't you dare try to escape, or I will hunt you down and tie you down to that bed."

A perverted smile crept onto the tanned face, softening the hardened lines that had appeared since the captain had woken up. "Is that a promise?"

Sasuke flushed. "This is why I hate homos. They're all perverts." He stormed out after that.

He told one of the nurses to send for the three shinobi before heading home. He took a quick shower, washing off all the dirt, grime, and blood of the past two days. Despite his severe lack of sleep, he felt very refreshed after getting washed and donning a fresh set of clothes. He checked in on his brother while he was there. He was asleep, having just headed home a few hours earlier himself. He had stayed at the hospital just as long as Sasuke had, making sure he at least ate and kept him company while they waited for the young captain to wake again. The young raven made a mental note to do something for his brother to thank him for the support. He owed him. Especially after finding out he pushed Itachi's broken collar bone out of alignment again.

Sasuke made it back to the hospital in record time. The others hadn't arrived yet and Naruto was resting while he waited, so it left Sasuke to find something to do to occupy himself. He wanted to talk to Sakura. He always seemed to go to her when he had a problem about Naruto. Now wasn't any different. He felt he had been too much of a burden on his brother the past two days.

He found her exiting Naruto's room looking quite pleased at his progress. Seeing her former teammate, Sakura smiled. "I was surprised you weren't glued to his side when I entered."

"Can we talk?" He said without prelude.

Sakura's light green eyes widened a fraction in surprise. "Yeah sure. Follow me. My office is down the hall."

"You have an office now?" Sasuke inquired a bit surprised himself.

A proud smile crossed her face. "I'm one of the best medical specialists in Konoha now. I will be taking Tsunade-sama's place in the hospital at the end of the year."

"Congrats." He said absentmindedly. It wasn't that he didn't care. He was happy for her. It just wasn't what he wanted to talk about.

Sakura opened the door to a spacious office. There was a desk, several filing cabinets, a large bookshelf filled with medical scrolls and books, and a small area with two small couches facing each other and a coffee table in between them. The pink haired kunoich already had tea prepared and gave him a cup.  
"Take a seat."

He waited for her to sit first then sat across from her. He wasn't quite sure where to begin this conversation. In the end, he sat quietly waiting for her to say something first.

Sakura waited for him to speak, knowing he needed time, but after five minutes she pressed. "Sasuke, I do have patients to attend to. What did you need to talk about?"

Sasuke sat for a while longer, sipping his tea now and then. "I think . . . I think I _might_ have feelings for Naruto."

Sakura blinked. "That's it?"

"Why are you not surprised or freaking out?" The Uchiha asked, quickly regretting his decision to confide in her.

"Sasuke, I have known you were in love with him since we were together a few years back." The woman sighed. "Thinking back on it, I probably knew before then too, but I kept ignoring the signs."

"Explain." The raven ordered, freaked out about the news, but keeping it hidden under his scowl.

Sakura gave him an amused look as if saying she thought it was cute he thought he could order her around. "When we were together, you were always somewhere else mentally. You weren't interested in what I had to say, you didn't really want to go out of your way for me, and you almost made sex a chore. I mean you went through all the motions as a good boyfriend would. You remembered important dates, made sure to show up on time, did what I asked, and you were an attentive lover, but you weren't into it."

"What does that have to do with now?"

"I'm getting there." She chastised. "Now while we were dating I realized a few things. Anytime you had a choice, you would choose to spend your free time with Naruto. You could read all of Naruto's moods even if he was hiding them, and you always reacted accordingly. You went out of your way to make sure Naruto was always on time for work and wasn't always eating ramen or getting drunk by himself somewhere, and you would always defend Naruto if someone as much as murmurs anything bad about Naruto. Though you always acted annoyed and pretended not to listen to him, you were genuinely interested in what he had to say. And when Naruto smiled at you, you smirked back." She took a sip of her tea. "You aren't as indifferent as you think when you're with Naruto. "

Sasuke looked into his cup. "Any other complaints," he said muttered sarcastically not really expecting an answer.

She smiled sadly. "I swear at the Christmas party you called out Naruto's name by accident. It was too quiet to really hear, but I'm sure that's what you said."

Sasuke spit out his tea into his cup. The look on the Uchiha's face was priceless, the utter shock, horror and embarrassment that passed on his usually stoic face. "Is that why you broke up with me?"

"You're not going to deny it?"

"I can't remember." It was mostly the truth. He didn't remember, but there was a slight chance. He often thought of work or things he had to do during sex. She had been right, for him it was mostly a chore. He did it to keep her happy. She had wanted it, so he gave it. As simple as that. Only now did he realize how much of a dick he was to do that.

She sighed. "I take it you had your epiphany sometime after your breakdown."

Sasuke nodded reluctantly. He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about this anymore.

"Normally you can't find out about a patient's condition or enter a patient's room while they are in the ICU unless they are immediate family or a lover." She smiled. "It is an unspoken rule amongst the hospital staff, but when it comes to Naruto, you are the exception."

The raven hadn't thought about that. He never once questioned why the doctors had let him into the ICU or why they came to him to tell him his condition. It just felt natural, like he had a right to know.

"I can't say I'm in love with him." He finally said.

"I know." Sakura stood and went over to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't force yourself to go too fast. You have a lot of crap you need to sort through before you should make a decision on what you should do. You'll get there eventually. For now, just be there for him. "

"Sakura . . .I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. It did hurt, but after I stopped being angry at Naruto, I realized you two were meant for one another. I couldn't compete with what he had to offer you."

Sasuke looked at her. "Are you happy?"

She gave him a sincere smile this time. "I am. Sai is a pain at times and I admit, he reminds me of you sometimes too, but he does care for me, and I care for him too."

Sakura and Sasuke parted ways once they finished their tea. He hadn't meant to hurt Sakura back then. He had a feeling he hurt a lot of the girls he dated. Did all of them see what Sakura saw?

He glanced at the clock noting the time. He was going to be late if he didn't hurry to the dobe's room now.

* * *

Naruto had once again told the guards to leave once Gaara, Temari, Shikamaru, and Sasuke stood around his bed. Naruto looked tired; pushing his body passed his limits on top of enduring the pain. He refused to take pain killers until after the meeting.

"Let me tell you what happened first." He started. "I realized that whatever the imposter was trying to pull was able to deceive all sensory shinobi, Inoichi's interrogations, and my senjutsu. The only way to capture him was to lure him out. We already knew that whoever this imposter was, was probably watching us, so I put a letter telling Sasuke to meet me at the old playground in his mailbox. As Sasuke doesn't check the manor mailbox because mail still goes to his apartment, there was no chance of the real Sasuke reading it, but it was out in the open for almost anyone to see me put it in there. As I suspected, the intruder not only read the message, but deduced that Sasuke would most likely show up half an hour to quarter of an hour earlier than I would at this meeting. I sent a second letter to the real Sasuke. I located his lesson planner and put his message on top of it to make sure he read it. His letter told him to go to my old training grounds, slightly later to makes sure the imposter followed the shadow clone from the manor instead of the real Sasuke."

"So you confronted this person on your own?" Gaara asked, frowning.

The blonde shook his head. "Two ANBU were supposed to back me up after 5 minutes. They never showed. The imposter did fall for the trap. He showed up as me and approached the shadow clone thinking it was Sasuke. I confronted him. I had a kunai to his neck after he thought he stabbed Sasuke and let his guard down. He got away from me by releasing his transformation jutsu. He was a lot shorter and smaller than I expected and managed to slip away before I could adjust."

"So what happened? I didn't see any signs of a struggle." Sasuke interrupted. Naruto looked annoyed that people kept talking in the middle of his story.

"I don't know. I summoned my shadow clones, but somehow, he just waved his hand and released the jutsu. After that, I couldn't move at all. He didn't move use any signs or have any kekkei genkai activated that I could see. "Naruto closed his eyes, taking a moment to center himself. "He said that he knew everything about me and Sasuke and that he suspected I might pull something like that." Anger contorted his face. "He's a sick bastard. He wanted me to die slowly. He stabbed me where none of my vital organs would be injured through my vest. He removed my vest and shoved his fingers into the wound just because he knew I couldn't do anything about it. Then he punctured my lung. He told me I had 20 minutes at most before I suffocated to death if I didn't bleed out first. He left after that and the last thing I remember was collapsing sometime after he left.

"So we know nothing. What was the point in dragging us all here?" Temari frowned, tapping her foot.

"Because I'm about 80 percent sure that there are two people who have infiltrated the village."

"How do you know this?" Gaara took a seat.

"When the imposter came, I did sense he was using a jutsu. The previous imposter, there was no way to tell, this one, I saw the difference with my senjutsu this time."

"So someone who specializes in taking one's identity and another who has an unknown ninjutsu." Sasuke concluded.

Naruto nodded grimly.

Shikamaru looked at Naruto. "Can I ask you a question?" Shikamaru's piercing eyes stared at the blonde.

"What is it?" Naruto took the liberty of lying back against the pillows. His side was aching.

"Why didn't you struggle?"

His blonde eyebrows drew together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I looked over the investigation. From the reports, after you were stabbed, it looked like you just laid down in that spot and let yourself bleed out. There were no signs of trying to move from that spot. You didn't try to leave a message for anyone; you didn't even try to gather attention to yourself. You just laid down and waited.

"I-I . . . I don't know. It didn't cross my mind at the time." The captain shamefully admitted. Why hadn't he tried to find a way out?

"I also talked to Sakura. Despite reviving you and fixing the damage enough to have at least stabilized you, you continued to go under. The nurses said it was like you had no will to live."

"The enemy's ninjutsu is more dangerous than we thought." Gaara spoke this time, looking slightly concerned. "He not only can somehow releases jutsus and immobilize you, it also takes away your will to survive."

Naruto couldn't help but think they were way over their heads. There were more questions than answers and not enough people to trust to get under the bottom of it.

"It's strange though. I mean, yeah Sasuke is a douche bag sometimes," Temari received a glare for the comment. "But these shinobi are ridiculously powerful. If they wanted to kill Sasuke, they could have by now. I mean he lived alone until recently. They literally could have walked into his house and killed him in his sleep. Or ring the doorbell looking like someone he knew and stabbed him when he answered the door."

"Thanks for making me feel safe," Sasuke said sarcastically.

She ignored him. "Why go through all this trouble? They didn't even think you were a threat. They gave you a 20 minute window to get help. They're toying with us."

"She's right," Shikamaru agreed. "We are missing something essential. In fact, it doesn't even seem like Sasuke is their real target if you considerate it that way."

"If not Sasuke than what?" Naruto sat forward again, fully ignoring the fact he could open his wound again from moving so much.

The brunette shrugged. "Don't know. If we figure it out, we might get something though."

"Think you can try to uncover something Shikamaru?"

"As troublesome as it is, I'll see what I can do. Just worry about getting some rest. I'll tell the others you're fine."

"Thanks. I'm exhausted." Naruto's captain persona fell and let himself relax. "I think I'll take those pain killers now. It feels like my chest is on fire."

"Feel better Uzumaki," Gaara nodded his head towards the blonde then taking his leave.

Temari threatened him to stay in bed before her fiancé ushered her out of the room which left Sasuke the only remaining member from the meeting.

"Well teme, you should get some sleep. You look like shit still."

"Not until I make sure you stay put." The raven took a seat next to the bed.

"Well while you're here, why don't you cut me up an apple and make the slices look like rabbits." The blonde couldn't help but tease.

" . . . Is that what you want?"

Naruto's eyes widened in horror. "I must be dreaming. You can't be Sasuke. Fuck! Are you the imposter?! Nurse!"

Sasuke growled. "Forget I asked asshole. I'll never offer to do anything nice for you again."

"You . . . seriously want to do something nice for me?" Naruto looked touched, and that was the only reason the Uchiha extended the invitation again.

"Do you want them?" He asked again.

Naruto smiled brightly, making Sasuke's heart skip a beat. "Yeah that'd be great thanks."

Sasuke secured an apple from the nurses and a clean knife. Taking a seat at Naruto's bedside, he focused on his chore, paying careful attention to detail. The blonde had to fight back a laugh on how focused he was. He always was a perfectionist. Still, it was a dream come true. Too bad he almost had to die in order to see it. He didn't think it was healthy to become seriously injured every time he wanted Sasuke to be nice to him like this.

When Sasuke finished the first one, Sasuke had to feed it to the blonde. The captain was getting tired due to his medications taking effect and pushing himself to stay awake longer than he should have.

"You should sleep dobe. No point in staying awake any longer."

"And miss this chance to make you feed me? I'd rather sleep later." His body seemed to disagree as he continued to get dragged into unconsciousness.

Sasuke placed the apple aside as his dobe fell asleep. Huh, since when did he refer to Naruto as his dobe instead of the dobe in his head? How had he missed that?

He wasn't sure what he was going to do knowing that he felt something for Naruto. He couldn't say love. The word made him panic, but like seemed safe for now. He wasn't going to go running into the blonde's arms and ask for the blonde to ask him out again. It wasn't some cheesy romance movie. Doing stuff like this, being by his side as he had always done, seemed right. And maybe one day he could admit to himself how he really felt. Until then, he could only hope Naruto would wait for him.


	16. Love and Honor

"Goddammit Teme, why are you always taking away my work?! How the hell am I supposed to keep my sanity if I can't do anything?" Naruto had meant to sound pissed, but to Sasuke it sounded more like whining.

"Don't be such a baby, idiot. You're still recovering, and Tsunade gave you strict orders not to put any strain on your body." Sasuke held the folder containing the work Naruto had been working on when he had entered the room. "Work counts as strain."

The blonde just rolled his eyes in annoyance. "In that case just breathing is stressful. Want me to stop that too?"

"Hn." Sasuke didn't bother fueling his captain's antics. He was going to sit down, but Naruto's hand reached out, wrapping around Sasuke's wrist and yanking him towards him hard. This resulted in Sasuke practically falling on top of Naruto. "Wh-what are you doing dobe?" His face flushed.

"Isn't there something you want to tell me?" His too blue eyes seemed darken with hunger.

Sasuke sighed and adjusted himself on the bed into a more comfortable position, straddling Naruto's waist. "You know."

"I think I always have. You had me going for a bit. I seriously thought you weren't interested. Do you have any idea how much could have been avoided if you told me from the beginning? God you are such an assho-mmh." Sasuke cut off his rant with a hard bruising kiss.

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, not exactly expecting to feel the raven's lips on his so suddenly. Everything he had been about to say was lost as Sasuke claimed his lips as his own, trying to portray what he couldn't say in words. His kiss was demanding and possessive, occasionally nipping his bottom lip. He wanted Naruto to be his, wanted to make sure no one would ever think his blonde was available to anyone other than him.

Naruto got the hint after a moment and couldn't help but smirk against the pale lips trying to devour him. That was when Naruto pulled away just slightly, before flipping them over so Naruto was on top. "What do you think you're doing usuratonkachi? " Sasuke glared.

"You sure you want to do this? There are nurses just outside this room you know. They could catch us."

A low growl escaped him, upset that their kiss was interrupted. Actually, he didn't mind doing it here. The thought of possibly getting caught was a bit of a turn on. It gave this whole situation have a sense of danger to it. He thrived in danger. Sasuke cupped Naruto's erection underneath the hospital gown, hearing the man above him gasp. "You were saying?"

Sasuke swore his and Naruto's garments disappeared after that as he didn't remember taking them off, nor did he care. He continued to stroke Naruto's member, watching as the man above him tried to stay in control. "Sasuke," he gasped again, this time his mouth next to Sasuke's ear. His breath was so warm, caressing the sensitive skin. It caused an involuntary shiver to go up Sasuke's spine. "Sasuke, wake up."

The blonde's word's confused the raven enough for him to stop everything. "What?"

"It's time to wake up Sasuke." Naruto pulled away, fully clothed and smiling at him. "Wake up."

"Sasuke wake up."

Sasuke's eyes flew open, sitting straight up in the bed. Itachi was standing at the door, an eyebrow raised at the sudden movement and the flush on Sasuke's cheeks. Sasuke had decided to take a nap in the on call room at the hospital. Sakura and Ino had kindly offered him the bed, since he still had refused to leave the hospital for a little while longer. He had asked to be woken up in a few hours.

The raven shifted, trying to hide the very obvious tent in his pants with the blanket as subtly as possible while keeping his face blank. Both proved to be challenging.

"Something wrong Sasuke? You look a bit flushed."

"It's nothing." He knew it came out too rushed and that his brother wouldn't believe him. So it was expected that his brother wouldn't drop it without pushing a little bit.

"Are you sure? You sounded like you were groaning a bit."

"Yeah," his voice squeaked a bit. Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Yeah, just give me a minute."

"As you wish, I'll be waiting in Naruto-kun's room."

"Thanks." He waited until his brother left to focus on his current problem. He . . . never had a wet dream before. If he felt like having sex, it wasn't hard to go find someone willing who was attractive enough, and rarely did he find himself particularly attracted to someone, and rarely did he crave sex. Figures Naruto would mess him up on this front too. All his problems were that idiot's fault.

The problem was trying to take care of it. Sasuke spent five minutes willing his erection to go away. Fortunately it did. He could not imagine the difficulty and embarrassment he would have to endure if he had to try to sneak into the hospital showers without being caught or if he had to take care of it manually. Why did every aspect of his life always seem to become complicated when the blonde was involved?

Fixing up his hair and changing into a spare set of clothes, he went to go see his captain. As he got closer, he grew more anxious. His brain was stuck on permanent loop on that dream. It proved to be quite distracting. He almost ran into someone twice, and the looks the guards and some nurses gave him looked almost concerned when he did walk into a door. It was not his finest moment.

When he managed to get to the room after reassuring a nurse he was fine, he wasn't surprised by what he saw. The blonde was still in bed which was better than what Tsunade and the nurses could ask for under normal circumstances. What wasn't appropriate was the ton of paperwork scattered all around him while he was leaned over the swinging table top that was normally used for meals, writing a report.

Sasuke didn't even hesitate; he went over to the blonde's bed and picked up the papers, despite his captain's obscenely loud protests. It was hard to ignore him, still trying to suppress the dream from his memory. He was getting better at it now despite being only a foot away from the captain as long as he didn't look at him. Besides, that dream was ridiculous. Like he would ever find having sex in a hospital bed appealing. He wasn't an exhibitionist.

"Goddammit teme! Why are you always taking away my work? How the hell am I supposed to keep my sanity if I can't do anything?

Sasuke froze, almost dropping the papers in his hands as his eyes widened slightly in horror before hiding it behind his mask. Inside, he was panicking though. How did one go about making sure something wasn't a dream? His imagination couldn't be that accurate right?

"Hey . . . you okay?" The reached out to touch Sasuke, but pulled back at the last second. It was a good thing too. The raven was sure he would be able to keep his freak out hidden if he had made contact.

Sasuke took a moment to answer and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." Though he was sure he had a soft blush at his point, and he prayed that Naruto didn't notice.

"Sasuke, Tsunade-sama has given Naruto permission to come home with us tomorrow." Shit he had forgotten his brother was in the room.

"Lucky dobe." He replied as nonchalantly as possible. The way Itachi was looking at him, he knew his brother thought something was up.

"Awesome, I can't wait to get out of here." The blonde seemed oblivious. At least Sasuke got that much of a break.

Itachi meanwhile looked amused. "She said that he is condemned to bed rest and if he leaves-"

"She'll what? Hit me again? Take away my ramen?" He scoffed.

"She'll take it out on Sasuke and myself for letting you do what you want." Itachi chuckled a bit at Naruto's expression. "Since it appears punishing you directly has no affect she went after someone else."

"That's not fair," the blonde whined.

"Do you always whine?" Sasuke mocked.

Itachi took the chance to leave his brother and his rival to argue to their hearts content. Once they started, it took some time for them to stop. He might as well let them have their moment.

* * *

Itachi slowly exhaled, counting down from ten in his head. He concentrated on the soft grass beneath him, the direction of the wind, the sound of small animals around him, and the sound of the stream located somewhere nearby. He sat with his legs crossed barefoot underneath the shade the trees around him provided. He was glad that his old training ground seemed untouched. Though he was aware that there were ANBU watching him from the shadows somewhere, he felt like he was alone here.

He inhaled slowly, sorting through his thoughts and memories, cataloging them, figuring out a plan on how he was going to do next. With as much exaggerated slowness, he stood up, taking out eight kunai. He had to do this carefully. If he messed up, there was no way Konoha would understand. Not the way things were now. He had no doubts he would make a mistake though, unless he overestimated his abilities. He was partially wary of the nurse though. She wasn't too gentle with her needles and her food pills made him nauseous. If she found out about this . . . he didn't want to dwell on it.

No, he had to have an accurate account of his body's recovery. Needed to know how far he could push himself. He wasn't certain as to why he needed to know, but he felt it was better safe than sorry.

Closing his eyes, Itachi leapt high into the air, taking off with an almost majestic grace. At the top of his jump, in that second where he hovered in the air before gravity took over, he felt weightless, free from the confines of his injured body. It was just him and the targets around him. He maneuvered himself with just as much grace, ignoring the slight throbbing protests of his wounds, twisting his body so he was heading back down towards the ground head first.

The moment his body began to descend, his eyes opened, his mangekyo activated, and threw the first four kunai. Four different targets, but he managed it. Four small black flames ignited on the tips of the four thrown kunai and quickly, they were engulfed. He threw the next kunai, each one colliding with one of the flaming kunai, changing the trajectory of each projectile as well as consuming the non burning kunai in flames.

Each kunai found their target aiming dead center of their targets. Though normally he would stop there, he had to pull the targets off the trees before they too caught fire. He pulled out the sword on his back. "Susano'o." Orange chakra encased the sword and extending the blade's length. He sliced through the air. The shockwaves from the sword, which were orange as well, hit each target, knocking them to the ground for them to finish burning out without catching anything else on fire.

He was too slow however. Before he could rotate and land gracefully as he normally did, his injuries had slowed him down just enough for him to land painfully on his shoulder instead of his feet.

The impact knocked the breath out of him and caused a few of his injuries to throb painfully. At least he knew his limit now. His swordsmanship needed work however. It was his weakest skill in his opinion besides his stamina, but it was hard to change natural chakra reserves so weapon mastery ended up being what he focused on improving the most. He was also now painfully aware that if anyone hit his upper chest at this moment, the wind would be knocked out of him. He really hoped he didn't mess up his collar bone again. Between death threats from Sakura, Ino, and Yuri, he wasn't sure who had the roughest bedside manner towards him, but he was well aware that they hurt more than the injury themselves.

He righted himself, making sure each flame burned out, before cleaning up the remains. "Sasuke and Naruto should be done arguing by now," he thought with a bit of amusement.

Unfortunately, his plans to head back were interrupted. "Well, well, well, look a little green there Uchiha." Upon hearing the voice, Itachi locked his emotions behind a perfect mask before facing two ANBU standing before him.

"When I was in the force, the guards did not engage in conversation with their target or suspect," he stated calmly.

"Your point is?" One of the guards grunted.

"Either you are pathetic at following regulations or the quality to enter ANBU have fallen a great amount."

He had been expecting the blow. You don't insult your bullies without expecting retribution. He hadn't expected to be hit right on his healing rib. Such a hit wouldn't have normally caused any damaged besides a bruise, but the bone was still frail and barely started mending. He could feel the bone breaking once more. He bit back the pain though, doubling over slightly but not falling to his knees as the two men most likely wanted him to. "You shouldn't be here, you're a traitor. You and that brother of yours. Though I thought your brother did something right when I heard about your death."

Itachi didn't make any outward reaction which apparently weren't what the guards wanted. No they wanted to make him angry. They wanted him to give them a reason to take his life.

The man continued to press. "But he couldn't even do that right. He's nothing but a whore, sleeping around with any girl who wants him. It's pathetic. You both shame your family's memory with your existence in every way. I don't doubt for a second that you and your brother tried to kill the captain. It's his fault in trusting scumbags like you."

The elder Uchiha bit the inside of his cheek, keeping his mask in place. He couldn't give them what he wanted no matter how angry he got. He felt another blow, this time where his kidney was. It was sheer will power that kept him standing. He could not retaliate. He could beat them. It wouldn't be hard, but he couldn't. If he did, they would report that he had subdued them, that he was a threat. This was the first time they had hit him so hard though and they were making sure the injuries were where people would not be able to see. He had his hands tied in this situation. He could not defend Sasuke's honor. Why did they always bring in Sasuke?

Despite the inner turmoil, he kept his composure. "I was not aware cowards were allowed in ANBU now. You make these accusations while hiding behind a mask, insulting my brother's honor, landing a hand on a target that you are only to watch while knowing I am unable to tell a superior because I do not know name, rank, or face. You criticize my family's honor, yet you have none yourself. In my eyes, you are even lower than I am. At least I show my face proudly and accept it."

The otherwise silent partner made the blow this time, landing the blow to his stomach, once again knocking the wind from his lungs. Between the energy he burned before the encounter and the pain of his rib, which had shifted into a very uncomfortable position from the blow, he was unable to stop such a simple blow from making his vision black for a second.

They both noticed this. The raven could practically see the smirks behind their masks as they both approached him.

"Ran, Kagomi, what are you doing?" Ayumi appeared out of the shadows, a slight frown on her face.

"Ayumi-san, the target was acting suspicious in the training area so we decided to get some answers from him." The quiet partner answered flawlessly without a moment's hesitation, probably the brains out of the pair.

"Oh? From what I was seeing as I was approaching the scene was a guard bullying a suspect without a chance to defend himself. I believe stripping you both of your title and/or being sent to prison for abuse are possible disciplinary actions for such instances." The silence was almost deafening after the statement. "I suggest you both leave this instant." Both men scurried out of her line of sight immediately.

Itachi slowly let himself sit on the grass, unable to stand anymore. He didn't want to admit that particular problem to another guard however, so he tried to seem as casual about it as possible.

"Are you alright Uchiha-san?" Ayumi took a seat next to him.

"I am fine." He replied instantly, hoping she would leave.

She nodded. "I'm sorry, it was a stupid question. Of course you are fine with the possibility of urinating blood, having a punctured lung from a broken rib, and a damaged kidney is nothing to worry about and can be unchecked for long periods of time."

Itachi gave her an impassive look. How long had she been watching exactly. "Then why ask it?"

The woman looked up at him, her eyes calculating on what to say next. "An icebreaker. I am aware, that we have not given you a good impression of the ANBU here. I thought sarcasm might be the way to go."

"You do not need to socialize with me. I am fine."

The woman looked somewhat amused. "You are the master of lying and deceiving others aren't you? You tell the truth, but you pick your words carefully to convey only what you want others to know. You say that you are fine, but it a vague word as fine could simply be defined as you are living." She titled her head slightly as if thinking. "But you are limited on options though right? Sasuke is often . . . preoccupied with the captain, and you currently have little friends. It is possible to be fine, but you are not well either."

Itachi considered her words before conceding. "I am not, but what do you care."

She smiled gently at him. "I am willing to listen."

They sat in silence. In the end, it was not a good idea. It left Itachi with nothing to focus on except the sharp throbbing pain in his side.

"It is difficult. I can't tell what are dreams and what are my memories. It is difficult to stay in my parent's home alone without seeing the faces of the people I killed. I know I am always watched and every move is judged. The people I once called friends have turned their back to me, and Sasuke cannot be burdened with my problems when he has his own problems. It makes me feel. . . "

"Isolated," she finished for him. "I understand the feeling. " Her eyes became distant for a moment. "Love and honor. Everyone wants it. They strive for it throughout their life time, yet no one ever wants to do what needs to be done in order to have it. The pain of sacrifice, the sorrow of loss, buried desires. True love is doing whatever it takes to make sure that person survives and lives happily no matter the desires you might have. True honor is gained through sacrifices given up by the individual and is never praised or acknowledged. Those who have true love and honor tend to be the ones who are the most alone. I have a feeling you are such an individual."

"You do not believe I killed my family." He concluded.

"I believe it." She assured him. "But I believe there is more to your reasoning then testing your power. Anyone who has met you can see you are too calculating to do something without a reason and the way you look at Sasuke is with nothing but admiration and guilt." She stood up. "I am not asking for your reason or any explanation. I do not actually care to know. It is your affairs after all, and you can choose who you share them with." She watched him carefully. "I will help you to see Yuri," she stated leaving no room for him to argue.

He withheld a weary sigh. Guess that meant he would be seeing one of medic nins today after all. Ayumi helped Itachi stand, supporting some of his weight. He couldn't help the passing thought that maybe he could trust at least one guard after all.

* * *

Sasuke had left after Ayumi had Itachi started to get into their conversation. He had followed his brother after he left, ushered out of the hospital room by a nurse he didn't recognize so her patient could get some sleep. He tried to tell her that the idiot she called a patient wouldn't exactly be sleeping like she ordered, but she refused to listen. He didn't push to make her either. She would soon find out why the other medic nins always let him out early no matter the injury. It was impossible for Naruto to sit still. So he left.

He admitted that he was a bit relieved to leave. The recent dream had made him uncomfortable in his rival's presence and suppressing it was still proving difficult. He had no idea how to handle a situation like this. God he felt like a teenager all over again except his teenage years were a lot less complicated.

He knew his brother wouldn't be at home. He had noticed that Itachi had been avoiding spending time in the large house by himself recently, so Sasuke went to check out the old training grounds his brother used to use. Sure enough, he caught his brother in the midst of his old routine with some added techniques. It wasn't as graceful as he remembered probably because of the wounds Itachi had on his body, but it was still beautiful. For a moment, Sasuke felt like a young kid again, watching his big brother train from behind a tree, watching with admiration wishing to grow up to be just like him.

He was going to leave him alone, but then those assholes showed up. He was going to intervene when it became obvious his brother had no intention of defending himself. He could barely contain the anger that coursed through him. Just as he was about to go in, fully intending to rip those jerks a new one, he spotted Ayumi. Truthfully, curiosity had gotten the better of him. He had heard things about this Ayumi woman. He watched her delicately defuse the situation along with threatening the two men simultaneously.

It didn't take long to figure out that the rumor about Ayumi and his brother were false. Itachi didn't even seem to trust the woman. Sometime during their conversation, he left. It wasn't his place to be there listening in. He should be happy that a woman had taken an interest in Itachi, but he wasn't. He felt a bit of jealousy. If Itachi did decide to see someone, than he wouldn't receive his brother's attention as he had been. The part of him that craved his brother's time and attention as a child was still there, and he didn't want to share quite yet since he had just gotten back. He really was a selfish bastard.

Still, something was bothering him and he couldn't quite figure it out. Something that was nagging in the back of his head. He reviewed the information in his head, rolling around some idea but was still unable to come up with anything substantial. It would come to him eventually, so he wouldn't push it for now. Besides, Naruto was probably trying to do work by now. He might as well try to stop him, not that it would do any good.

It was too quiet when he entered the hall leading to Naruto's room. There were more guards than normal and there were no doctors or nurses in the hall either. He quickly found out why. Tsunade and Ibiki were in Naruto's room with grim faces, talking in soft voices. Also residing in the room was a TV monitor and VCR on a cart, both plugged into the wall outlet.

"Did I miss something?" Sasuke asked, wondering why there was a TV in the room.

"Uchiha, who let you in here?" Tsunade glared, a vein already throbbing on her forehead.

"It's alright, Granny. We need as many people as we can trust on this, and I trust Sasuke." Naruto's blue eyes held a mixture of anger and sadness. "Show him the video."

Ibiki went over to the VCR pressing the rewind button, while Naruto filled Sasuke in. "This is a video from one of the training rooms. A guard pulled this up after finding blood seeping from underneath a door this morning."

Ibiki pressed play and Sasuke's eyes turned to the screen. He was curious as to what had everyone on edge.

Two men were dressed in ANBU gear. He recognized one of them. Toshiro Kunizuka. He was well known and quite respected and one of the older ANBU shinobi. He was looking at retiring soon. The other one was much younger, but Sasuke had also recognized him. The younger man saw Toshiro as a mentor and they had been friends for years which made what happened on the scene all the more shocking.

It started normal. The younger man entered the room, smiling and greeting the older man. Toshiro greeted him back, inquiring why the younger man had asked to meet him there. The younger man's name as it turned out was Kagari. The man approached the older man, pointing to the back towards a black bag in the corner. As soon as the older man turned, Kagari lifted a small sledge hammer above his head and brought it down hard and fast, connecting with Toshiro's head. The man fell, landing hard onto the concrete floor. The assault didn't stop there. Kagari mounted the man, and continued to strike him repeatedly. The sound of cracking bones and the squishing sound of blood and flesh could be heard over the speakers. Toshiro's skin quickly turned a sickly shade as the skin bruised and blood splattered onto the walls and floor.

Sasuke had never seen anything so brutal. A shinobi killed, but usually the attacked stop after the enemy had died. Sure there were some who took pleasure in killing their opponent slowly, but never had he seen someone continuously abuse someone even after they were dead. The scariest thing about the video was Kagari's face. It was almost serene, like he was at peace and completely unfazed by the atrocity he was committing even while he was covered in blood.

Eventually, he did stop. The body was unrecognizable. The head barely had a shape as the skull had caved in from the repeated attacks, and the rest of the body was bent in an odd shape. He placed the hammer down and gingerly got off Toshiro, looking at the dead man with a pitying look. Then he turned to the camera even walking up to it, making sure his face was seen as clear as possible.

"Uzumaki-taichou, I know you will get this video sometime in the near future. Right now you are probably wondering why I would do something like this to Toshiro-san, and why did I not come to help you with your plan last night, and where Jiro is. You'll find the remains of Jiro's body in the incinerator by the academy. I'm sure there is a bone or something left. You see, right before we went to meet up with you, the intruder came up to us. He spoke to us. He explained why he was doing all of this. He is striving for what most of us cannot understand. All of us live in a world full of illusions and contradictions. We are trapped within ourselves doing what we believe is right, but really not thinking for ourselves." The man chuckled lightly.

"He opened my mind to so many things. Unfortunately, Jiro didn't share the sentiment. He was going to tell, so I killed him. I slit his throat with his own kunai. As for Toshiro, the reason for his death will die with me. It's not a reason you need to worry about, but I wanted you to see. See how free I am now. I no longer fear death, no longer have to be burdened by my problems and unfulfilled desires. I can finally chose my own destiny, break away from being a pawn. His ambitions will come to pass, and I have set the first part into motion." Kagari pulled out a kunai. "A tip of advice captain, you should join them. Join us. Feel free and reach that happiness you always wanted." The young man slit his own throat after that. Even as he died, he had a small smile on his face. It was eerie and in no way comforting.

"Jiro and Kagari were supposed to be the two who were to back me up when I set up that plan. I trusted them because they were the first rookies I trained in ANBU. I thought I knew them the best." Naruto's hand clenched the blankets tightly. "And it got Jiro killed."

"Dobe, you can't blame yourself for someone else's incompetence. We don't even know if it really was Kagari's true will. If there is a jutsu that can make you give up your will to survive, then why can't there be another jutsu to alter your state of mind?"

"It doesn't matter. Whoever these people are, they managed to turn Kagari-kun into one of their followers and made him kill his mentor without so much of a flinch." Ibiki said, turning off the TV. "On top of that, the bodies are missing. I have no doubt that whoever is orchestrating this entire thing was there watching. The weird thing is there was no attempts to hide the blood or the murder weapon either."

Naruto looked deep in thought. Sasuke could practically see the gears in his head working, but Sasuke wasn't fooled by the calm exterior. This video hit Naruto hard, and he wasn't a genius strategist like Shikamaru. A fight was one thing, but espionage, traitors, and possible brainwashing was way out of his element. Add the guilt for not seeing Kagari's susceptibility to an enemy's words and the death of two colleges because of it into the mix, and the resulting state of the blonde's thoughts were probably leaning towards how not to take out his anger on the nearest person.

"We need a small team. One's we can trust. Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan, Shino . . ." Naruto hesitated as he thought about whom else to add. They had a strategist, four sensory types, a medic nin, a very strong genjustu user, and of course himself which fits into a sensory type and strong ninjutsu user. Most of the team members were close range fighters and if he divided them into teams of three . . . he would need one more person, preferably with several long range attacks and have some spying skills.

Rock Lee would have trouble keeping his mouth quiet. He was too trusting. Plus if his taijutsu was taken away from him, he would be a sitting duck. TenTen was only good for close combat with not many skills that were sensory in nature. Choji was already out on a mission. Gaara would be ideal, but he couldn't put the Kazekage into danger. Temari would laugh at him. Who did that leave?

He'd have to pull in someone else, and the idea scared him. What if he made another mistake? What if it got more people killed? These thoughts ran on continuous loop in his head, but he had to trust in himself. If he didn't the bad guys would win, so why couldn't he do it?

Naruto felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He knew it belonged to Sasuke. His presence beside him was warm, familiar, and secure. Had Sasuke noticed how nervous he was? Probably, he needed to get it together. Looking up with confidence, he finally said. "Ginta."

Tsunade looked at him like he had grown another head, Ibiki looked amused, and Sasuke was confused. "Who's Ginta?"

"A long range user who I've been watching for some time now. He's a bit strange, but his skill is he can use almost any object that is small enough to fit in his hand and land a killing blow to a person accurately up to 3 km." Naruto replied. Tsunade grunted still not looking pleased.

"Why haven't I heard of him?" Sasuke asked, his curiosity peeking. "He sounds very useful on assassination missions.

"He's a bit out there." The blonde admitted. "Has this crazy idea that one day technology will play a leading role someday. He's always locked in his basement doing some weird stuff. He did create some of the technology we use, like the improved laptops. They're 8 bit computers still but they are much smaller and more portable. However his lack of interaction with others makes people think he is just crazy. It kept him from being promoted past chuunin due to suspected mental instability."

"Is it safe to bring him in on this?" Ibiki asked. He still had that amused glint in his dark eyes. "It's a ballsy move. Something you would definitely do, I'll give you that and everything you gamble on it usually works, but are you sure?"

Naruto hesitated for a moment, taking serious consideration over the question. "Yeah. I'm sure. He is someone not many know about and we never give him many missions because of his supposed instability. We should be good." He looked at Tsunade looking apologetic. "Sorry, old lady but we'll have to keep you out of the loop from now on. You're position makes you a target to be replaced."

Surprisingly, Tsunade didn't object. "I'll give you full reign over this investigation. Anything you need, go ahead and do it without my permission. Just promise me to bring this fucker down."

"You got it." They shared a smile, before she and Ibiki left the room.

"I think it's about time I get out of this hospital."

Sasuke gave a skeptical look. "You're in no condition to leave."

"Come on. It was mostly blood lost and a punctured lung. The blood has been replaced and my lungs are fine as long as I don't strain myself too much."

"Let's not forget your heart has gone through hell multiple times in less than a week. The assassination involving poison ringing any bells?"

"You're such a worry wart. I'll be fine." The blonde shrugged it off. "Been through worse."

"Dammit dobe! Why the hell are you being so nonchalant about your life? How can you be so flippant about it?!"

"And what do you want me to do Sasuke? Cry about it? Sit here like a sitting duck?"

"I want you to take your health seriously."

"And you care why?" Naruto grinned. "Chill out. I can take care of myself."

Sasuke grunted. "Just be more careful alright."

The blonde's eyes softened a bit. "I will." Naruto motioned to the seat at his bedside. "So I'm actually awake this time, think you can make those apples again?"

"Baka, that was a onetime deal." The raven took the seat anyway.

"Aw, come on. I was unconscious after the first bite."

"I'm not a nurse. Get one of them to bring you food."

"Nope, you're much hotter." Naruto smirked at Sasuke's blush. "Man, you are so easy to mess with."

"Shut up!" Sasuke's blush didn't fade however. Naruto laughed, while the raven tried to come up with an intelligent comeback. The arguing continued, replacing the heavy atmosphere that had been in the room before. In the back of their minds, the fear and apprehension from the unknown threat still lingered, but it was taking moments like these at full value. If a shinobi didn't, it was easy to become overwhelmed by missions. One step at a time enjoying the moments you can because it was never certain when your life or a friend's or a lover's could end.

Sasuke took in Naruto, his smile, his laugh, and his stupid comments. He would never know when Naruto or himself could die. That was made quite clear over recent events, and he didn't intend to take these conversations for granted anymore.

"Hey, teme? You okay?" Naruto asked when Sasuke had stopped responding.

The raven his a small smile. "Never better dobe. Never better."


	17. I'll do Anything for You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ON CHAP 23 ON FANFICTION

Naruto was released from the hospital without too much of a hassle except for that one nurse from before refused to let him leave and called everyone crazy for letting him out in his condition. The only way to appease her wrath was to agree that Naruto was to stay in a wheel chair on the way home and as long as he felt light headed or dizzy. Naruto naturally tried to get out of the condition at first. However, quickly he realized that just standing took a toll on him and his heart. Everything considered, from poison to his continuous dance with death only two days ago, he should be happy he was conscious and moving around. Kyuubi's regenerative powers only went so far before it took a toll on him too, and he had needed the power twice extensively in a single week.

Sasuke was glad, though it was hard to tell on the outside, that he was the one to push the blonde's wheelchair. It gave him an opportunity to assess Naruto's condition for himself up close as well as make sure that the blonde didn't push himself too hard. If Sasuke was being truthful with himself, he was worried that the blonde was going to wear himself out. He wasn't letting himself recover. Even as they were heading home, there were people waiting at his home to get instructions on what each group was going to do. Speaking of which . . .

"Usuratonkachi , why isn't Sai one of the people you called?" The thought had been bothering him for a while. He may not have thought of Sai as a good friend, but he had watched his back for a few years now.

"I have Sai on another mission." Naruto murmured, answering Sasuke's question without much thought or attention. At the blonde's obviously distracted behavior, Sasuke glanced down at him. In his hands, there was some strange black device with a screen. It almost looked like a hand held computer monitor except it was too flat to be a monitor and when the blonde touched the screen, it would respond.

"What's that?"

"Something Ginta made. He calls it a tablet. He's making me test it, his condition for helping us out."

"What does it do?"

"It allows me to connect to everything on Ginta's computer which so happens to be the entire Konoha archive as well as let me make notes." Naruto said, still focused on whatever he was reading.

Sasuke frowned at that. "Isn't that dangerous? What if it falls into the wrong hands?"

"It only works when it's receiving my chakra signature which rules out most intruders. As for the other one, he has had access to the archive for however long he has infiltrated the village. Ginta did make a precaution though. All activity, every file I look up is recorded onto his computer. If anything looks out of the ordinary, he'll be the first to know. He also said that his computer is located in a place where two specific chakra signatures are needed to enter, so even if the intruder copied him and located the computer, his partner is also needed to access it and only two people are allowed in the room or else his computer will not start up. So there is a witness to everything that the intruder is looking at. There are some more protocols in place that he didn't tell me about, but at that point it seemed safe. I'm unaware of who the other person is, so the intruder can't pick up the second party from me either." Naruto finally looked up. "It's pretty cool. I had my doubts at first, but it's convenient."

"Convenient for now. I'll stick with pen and paper."

Naruto smiled a bit at that. "Normally I'd agree, but the chakra signature security it provides will come in handy for all this. Less chance someone will read my notes. It's not like anyone can duplicate so they can't steal it without me noticing it's missing."

"That is true." It was still weird though. Technology was fragile and not practical in the shinobi world in the long run. If multiple computers were connected, then it adds multiple ways to steal information and have it go unnoticed. At least physical documents, the person had to come to you and are unaware of the security until they were inside. That's why computers never really caught on. Sure they were used in the labs and hospitals, but they were used for analysis and not for communications and documentation of sensitive material that could compromise the village in any way.

Once Sasuke was behind the walls surrounding the Uchiha main house, Naruto forced himself out of the wheelchair, putting on his captain persona though he still looked pale. He would be lying if he said he wasn't hovering extremely close to the blonde in case he collapsed. If Naruto noticed or cared, he didn't let on, nor did anyone say anything when they entered the house. The seven shinobi were gathered in the sitting room around a large round table with steaming cups of tea in front of them. Sasuke briefly wondered if his brother had shown himself to serve them but then disregarded the idea since no one was freaking out or had looks of disgust on their faces.

Naruto walked into the room, keeping casual but still giving off an air of authority. He stopped at the doorway, looking at each individual member. His eyes stopped on a dark haired individual with dark green eyes looking over black rimmed glasses. There was more space between him and the other occupants at the table, effectively isolating him from the rest of the team in a small way. The captain really hoped there wouldn't be a problem. He was known for being stubborn. He waited until everyone's eyes were on him before starting.

"Thank you all for coming in such short notice. I'm going to keep this meeting brief as I'm sure you all have better stuff to do than listening to me make speculations about the situation without being certain about any of it." Naruto dropped his easy going smile. "All of you have gotten dossiers about the entire situation and what we already know, so I don't need to go over what happened to me three days ago nor do I need to tell you the hypothesis we've come up with so far. It's a waste of time, and I'm tired. If you haven't read it yet, read it when you leave here tonight. If you have any questions about the dossier, save it until the end.

"This enemy is quite dangerous. We know there are two at least, both equally dangerous. If we are going to catch these infiltrators, we're going to have to be extra careful. Do not speak of this mission even in the privacy of your own homes. As you've read, it is possible that your homes are being watched. Details are in said dossier. To minimize risk, your dossier includes methods of contact from member to member." There were several nods around the table, acknowledging their captain's words.

Naruto had to resist the urge to sit down. He was feeling out of breath and light headed, but he couldn't afford to look weak in front of them. He had to remain standing and show them he was okay. Morale would go down if they knew how close he had really been toward death and how unwell he truly was.

"There will be three squads, each consisting of three members instead of the usual four. There will be the intelligence team, the recon team, and the home team.

"The intelligence team will be comprised of Shikamaru, Neji, and Ginta." He looked at each member as he said their names. "You guys will be in charge of gathering information and creating strategies to hopefully find and corner them. I need you guys to work well together as you will be a primary target and the one to stand out the most since Ginta hasn't been seen with either of you until today. Come up with a cover story as to the sudden interaction. I'm thinking you both found out about another champion shogi player and curiosity got the better of you. Between a sensory ninja, a long range fighter, and Shikamaru's shadows, you should be able to handle yourselves if you get into a fight. You three are the smartest people I know, and I'm sure the enemy knows it too and will watch you guys to see if you're up to something. Watch your backs and try not to ever be alone.

"Team 8 will be our recon team. You will be tasked with missions that will lead outside the village. Between Kiba's nose, Hinata's byakugan, and Shino's bugs, you guys can watch a large area and monitor the situation. There is a possibility that the intruders either has allies, are reporting to someone, or going in and out of the village for some reason or another if they have been hiding out here for some time. We need you to monitor any suspicious movement and try to find any more possible enemies and report your findings daily to the intelligence team. Adding to the fact that you guys grew up and worked together in the past, you guys have also been in a similar situation where there was an imposter among you during the war. If anyone is replaced, you three have the highest chance of weeding out the imposter again. Remember, this is just recon. Do not engage in a fight unless necessary and keep your distance."

"Sure thing Naruto," Kiba grinned, interrupting Naruto just to annoy him. Hinata gently sent him a look telling him to be quiet before sending another worried glance at the pallor of Naruto's skin.

The captain ignored him and continued. "Team seven will be the home team and the base of operations. All of you will report to me and anything I say will go unless you have reason to believe I have been replace. Whatever I say overrides the authority of the old lady in this mission." At the shocked faces around the table, he nodded his head. "Yeah, it's become that bad. As I'm still recovering and we want the enemy to believe that we still think Sasuke is a target, we can't move around much as we'd like. Especially since we know for a fact, Sasuke and I have been watched in great detail over the passed couple months. Ginta will send me the reports, and I will give you my orders one way or another without drawing attention to myself.

"Meanwhile Sakura will be your designated medical ninja. She will be giving all of you physicals in the hospital weakly, and you are to report to her when you are injured. I will oversee the mission as you all have probably guessed, and Sasuke will be my second if something happens to me or I leave the village for one reason or another. Sasuke and I are also planning to be the ones to confront them and bring them down. They have an interest in us for a reason, we might as well let them fight for it.

"Any questions, comments, concerns, or critiques, Teme?"

Sasuke had been stand behind and off to Naruto's right. The raven shook his head. "Sounds good enough for now. As we don't know anything concrete, this seems like the safest plan. It gives us flexibility and covers all bases.

Naruto nodded then addressed everyone else with the same question.

"A-are you sure you are okay Naruto-kun?" Hinata spoke up, concern in her soft lilac colored eyes. "You still look really pale." The Hyuuga's comment caused closer scrutiny from the others as they studied the captain more closely, making the object of their careful gaze very uncomfortable.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," he waved them off. "If you don't have any questions, divide into your squads and hash out the details on what you guys are going to do."

They divided into their squads, talking amongst themselves for a short while on where they would begin and the best methods of contact between members. Sasuke and Naruto just listened to them adding a few comments or suggestions every now and then. Soon they all left as they came, leaving just Sasuke and Naruto alone in the house.

The moment the last person left, Naruto sagged heavily into couch, unable to stand any longer, and let out a loud and obnoxious sigh. "God, how am I supposed to command if I can't even stand for 20 minutes without wanting to gasp for air."

"You're still recovering idiot. You should be resting for another few days to give your heart a break." Sasuke sat down beside him gracefully, unlike Naruto who had flopped onto the couch.

"No time. Too many people are dead because we've been running around in the dark." His eyes, stared at the ceiling. "I can't let anyone else die."

"I understand that, but what good are you if you keep yourself from healing. You should just go walk up to the enemy and ask for them to kill you since that's what you're essentially doing."

The captain nodded at the raven's words. "I know. I'll rest. Just give me a moment. My brain just won't shut down long enough for me to sleep."

"You could at least try in your room 'cause I'm not carrying you if you fall asleep out here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." A yawn escaped him. "I'll be heading to bed. Wake me if you need me."

Sasuke chuckled lightly. "Not making any promises."

* * *

"This is Itachi's medication. Give him the blue pill twice a day. Once in the morning 30 minutes before he eats and once when he gets ready for bed. The red pill is to be taken during all his meals. Uzumaki's medication is to be taken once a day immediately after waking. The dosage is 20ml. Got all that?" Yuri tapped her foot impatiently after handing the bag to Sasuke. Naruto had asked for Yuri to give the medications to Sasuke and all files on her two patients to Sakura. To say she wasn't happy was an understatement. Both men received a two hour lecture on why it was a bad idea including diagrams and pictures as to what could happen if something went wrong. Naruto had almost lost his lunch at the details.

"I understand, now please leave." It did not sound polite coming from the raven's sour disposition, though Yuri took no offense to his tone.

"Good. And tell Itachi that if he irritates another wound or pushes another bone out of place, I will skin him alive."

"Duly noted," the younger Uchiha said dryly. He saw the woman out of the house enthusiastically. She could get really annoying really fast. Placing the medications onto the kitchen counter, he immediately went to see his brother. He had checked on Naruto before and thankfully, he was out cold instead of working for once. It was getting harder to catch the blonde now that all the papers and scrolls that he had needed before was on that stupid device. All the captain had to do was hide the device, and Sasuke couldn't prove he was working. He cursed the invention and inventor. It was the source of his misery as of late.

Itachi on the other hand was making himself scarce more and more recently. Sasuke could understand that he was still trying to accept what he had done, but he was concerned how often Itachi was leaving to train. After the incident with the guards from before, Sasuke had brought it up with captain in charge of the guards around the house which surprisingly wasn't Naruto. Apparently, since Naruto was too involved with the Uchiha family, he wasn't allowed to make the final decisions, though he was heavily involved with the security detail.

The captain had not taken him seriously and told Sasuke that his brother must have done something to provoke them if it what he said was true. It didn't help that the captain didn't look too fond of Sasuke either.

Which left only two options for Sasuke. He wouldn't tell Naruto. The blonde had weight and power in whatever he says; however, Naruto didn't need anything else to worry about on his mind and getting Naruto involved could make it seem he was being influenced by the two Uchiha brothers and lose some of his influence. The blonde didn't need that. Especially if he wanted to become Hokage within the next few years. This left Sasuke the one option he really didn't like, letting the guards get away with it until he could prove it to the captain.

Ayumi had offered her services to guard Itachi from the others when she heard. The younger Uchiha was more than eager to accept the help, plus Itachi could use a friend, and she seemed happy enough to try.

Sasuke knocked softly on Itachi's door.

"Come in," was the reply.

The door opened a crack, paused, then continued to open the rest of the way. "Nii-san, just checking up on you."

Itachi was putting on his shirt when Sasuke had come in. The young raven had caught a glimpse of the skin underneath, scarred and heavily discolored. "I see. How is Naruto-kun doing?"

"Asleep finally. I had to take away his work again before the idiot settled down. He's a pain in my ass."

A faint smile tugged at Itachi's lips. "Is that so? Well I am certain, he's just working hard to make sure everyone is safe. I believe you would be doing the same if you were in his position."

True, but Itachi didn't need to know that. "How are you doing? Not having any problems are you?"

"Everything is as it should be. Even Yuri-san said I'll be cleared to train in two weeks."

"Nothing else?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Since you are pressing, shouldn't you be telling me?"

Itachi was way too smart for his own good. Even though he knew Sasuke knew he was hiding something, Itachi still refused to say anything more until he knew how much Sasuke really knew. Still, it hurt that his brother wouldn't confide in him about the bullying.

"It's nothing, Nii-san."

A quiet settled over them, though the younger Uchiha made no moves to leave or start another conversation. As usual, Itachi bailed him out. "Was there something you want to talk about?"

A light blush settled over pale cheeks that Sasuke could not stop. "It's not that important," he murmured. It probably wasn't even a good idea to ask anyway.

"I am always listening, little brother. What is it you need help with?"

Sasuke glanced up through his bangs, shifting from foot to foot. "How . . . how do you go about confessing that you like someone?"

"You never confessed to anyone before?" There was a hint of either amusement or disbelief in Itachi's voice. The fact Sasuke couldn't figure out which irritated him.

"The girls always came to me and this person . . . I rejected them multiple times . . . harshly. I'm not sure how to go about it."

"Why don't we sit down for a drink while we talk," Itachi suggested, walking past Sasuke who reluctantly followed and pondering whether he should have consulted his brother for advice after all.

They both sat on the porch facing the courtyard with a bottle of sake between them. "So tell me about this mysterious person. Do I know him or her?"

"I don't see how it's any of your damn business . . . and why do you say him? I thought I told you I only dated girls."

Itachi didn't answer his question and instead took a sip from his glass. "When it comes to matters of the heart, I can only tell you what I think and not from any personal experience. What I would recommend is to find something you both like doing or if you really want to prove yourself, doing something you hate and what the other person loves. Since you have rejected this person multiple times, it would be beneficial to show that person that you would only go through the activity because that person means that much to you."

Sasuke nodded in understanding, drinking from his glass contemplatively. "Then what?"

"After you both have enjoyed the evening and the guard of that person has relaxed, you tell them." Another sip. "Or you can go the traditional route of giving that person a letter or calling them out directly and telling them, but most likely the letter would be thought of as a sick prank from someone, and I do not believe you'll be able to tell the person face to face without relaxing and getting comfortable enough to do so."

Sasuke stared at the pond, watching a frog jump from lily pad to lily pad before it dove into the water. "It gives me some ideas to work with."

"Alright." Itachi stood up, picking up the bottle. "Tell me if Naruto-kun accepts your advances or not when you finish."

Itachi was impressed at how fast Sasuke turned around, his cheeks a flaming red and his eyes wide with surprise. "Who said it was Naruto?!"

"Sasuke, after everything that happened in the hospital, the way Naruto-kun looks at you, and how you suddenly want to ask how to confess to someone, it is quite obvious. As I said before, you were crushing on him since you were seven years old. I admit I was surprised it took you fourteen years to just consider asking him out. Good luck with your confession little brother"

The only thing the young raven could do was gap even as his brother even after the older man left.

* * *

Naruto kneeled before the Konoha elders. He wore his ANBU uniform with his mask positioned on the side of his head. His head was bowed and his right fist was placed over his heart. "Elders," he greeted, his voice tight. His side was aching, and he really did not have much patience or energy to deal with them.

"Uzumaki, Naruto. We are pleased that you have responded to our summons quickly. We are aware that you require rest, but the matter is urgent," Homura, the old counselor present, adjusted his glasses, staring at Naruto intently. There was no sincerity in his tone and most likely wasn't really apologizing for dragging him out of bed. Sasuke had thrown a fit. Well, it was more like trying to burn holes into the back of his head while refusing to speak to him until he went back to bed. Obviously, Naruto left anyway.

"It was no problem. I am you shadow and am ready to move as the council and the Hokage sees fit."

"That is good to hear. For we will be requiring your services." The elder woman, Koharu, said. She had a permanent disapproving scowl on her face and found humor in nothing. It made it really hard for Naruto to like her because of it.

The room was dark with only a few candles here and there. It gave Naruto an ominous feeling whenever he was in a room like this. It reminded him of one of Orochimaru's hide outs. "What service do you need me to perform," he said after a moment's hesitation. He hated speaking so formally. It sat ill with him and took him time to come remotely close to sounding respectful. He still had to think before he spoke, and he doubted that would ever change.

"We know about Uchiha, Itachi, and that he is staying at the old Uchiha district."

Naruto hid his grimace well. It was inevitable that they would find out. There were some ANBU only loyal to them, and it wasn't like Itachi stayed only in the house.

"And we have discussed at great length on what we should do with him," the man continued.

"We have decided that he is much too dangerous. He has already destroyed the Uchiha clan and joined the mercenary and terrorist group known as the Akatsuki in the past as well as committed other sins. With his past experience and knowledge of the inner workings of Konoha, he cannot be left unchecked," Koharu finished, her tone condescending.

He snapped his head up, his blue eyes shining with anger. He had a feeling they were going to try pulling something like this, but for them to speak so badly about him after everything he had done infuriated him. So he did what he did best, spoke before he thought about the consequences. "Dangerous? The only thing dangerous about Uchiha, Itachi is how kind and generous he is!"

"Captain, you are out of line." The woman snapped.

"Am I? I know the truth behind the Uchiha clan massacre." He paused for a moment to take in their shocked, aged faces. "That's right. I know you three and Danzo told Itachi to kill the clan. That you took advantage of his love for the village and for his brother so you could get him to do your dirty work."

"Uzumaki," Homura kept the same even tones in his voice as he spoke, acting as if Naruto hadn't spoken at all. "These are quite the accusations. If you are listening to the words of a criminal, we will have to reevaluate the decision to make you a Captain as you are not yet ready for it."

"Cut the bullshit. . . sir. I did not find this out from Itachi. I was informed by Obito Uchiha which was later confirmed by the Sandaime himself when he was resurrected."

The color drained from both of their faces, yet they refused to lose their cool. "Captian, I do not think you understand the circumstances that led to the massacre."

"I do know. I understand the Uchiha clan was planning a coup. That it would have weakened Konoha and invited others to take advantage of our weakened state. Itachi gave up everything for this village and even kept your dirty little secret. He even infiltrated the Akatsuki and continued to serve you and the village he loves so much, and you repay him by trying to kill him to keep him quiet. It's all about covering your asses. I should-"

"Enough!" the sudden and loud command from Homura startled Naruto enough to falter in his rant, effectively quieting him. "Uzumaki, you are a member of the ANBU and a captain at that. Your job is to follow orders and to protect Konoha at all costs. As you seem to be incapable of that, you are showing you are not ready for the position of Hokage. You will kill Uchiha, Itachi."

The blonde clenched his jaw a soft growl emanating from him. "If I kill Itachi, or if anyone else does it for that matter, I will also tell the world the truth about massacre including your own involvement and how you let Itachi be a scapegoat and killed him to keep him silent."

"Are you threatening the council Uzumaki?" Koharu leaned forward, her scowl deepening.

"I am. If you still wish me to kill Itachi, I will, but I am dragging you down with him."

Silence followed and Naruto's words hung heavy in the air. The elders glanced at each other, communicating with one another on what to do.

"Alright Uzumaki, you win. Itachi will live for now. As for the other reason we called you, we want you to take over for Ibiki as he is on a mission until further noticed." The older man kept his face blank, but his eyes looked smug.

Naruto felt weak and his face paled. It didn't take a genius to figure out the obvious lie, that they had come up with it only a moment before. Didn't make it any easier to digest what they were suggesting. "I do not do interrogations and executions for prisoners. There are others more suited for that line of work." Like Ibiki for example.

"First you will not follow orders to kill Itachi and now you won't help take over another's duties when they are incapable of performing them. You are making quite a few demands captain. Will you not go on missions anymore either? Or maybe you want us to cater to your every whim and desire." The woman also looked smug somewhere behind her sour features.

He felt Kurama get angry on his behalf, and he was careful to make sure none of his chakra leaked out. They were already against him. No need for them to think he could not really control Kyuubi as well. Still, he wanted to protest. He did not like fighting anyone who could not defend themselves. Even during assassination missions, his target could defend themselves, but a prisoner was tied down, unable to do anything. It didn't sit well with him. He didn't even like watching the acts themselves, so he always tried to avoid it when he could. The elders must have picked that up about him and were now using it to punish him.

For Sasuke and Itachi . . . he said he would do anything for them to keep them safe. "I'll do it. When is my first shift?"

"Now."

It took a deep breath to calm down the nauseous feeling rising at the thought of what he had to do. Damn bastards wouldn't even let him recover before punishing him. "I understand." He rose from the floor, giving a short bow and leaving the room.

* * *

Sasuke looked at the tickets in his hands. There was a popular autumn festival being held in the next village over. It was a normal village with normal people. Sasuke preferred staying away from festivals. It was crowded, loud, and tended to annoy him, but Naruto had wanted to go for several years now and never had the chance. It was sold out, but he bought the tickets off someone for three times the sale price.

A soft smile crossed his lips. He even got some expensive sweets put into a beautifully decorated box and was wearing a yukata. If this wasn't enough to prove he was serious then he wasn't sure what would do it.

Naruto stumbled in, disheveled and tired looking, almost not noticing Sasuke standing and waiting for him. He pulled off one shoe, then the other, using the wall for support as he did so. He paused, taking in the box of sweets and the yukata Sasuke was wearing. His eyes became distant and muttered, "Oh . . . .sorry. I'll get out of your hair before she comes over."

A frown crossed Sasuke's features. "What are you talking about dobe?"

"You're going to a festival with a new girlfriend right? I'll make myself scarce before she comes over. I'm tired anyway." He walked up the step into the house, passing by Sasuke, his footsteps heavy.

"Dobe, I don't think you understand." He followed the blonde into the hallway.

"Sasuke I really don't want to talk right now." When Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, Naruto's knees buckled. Sasuke was in place before he even thought about it. His arm wrapped around Naruto's waist, keeping him from hitting the ground.

Naruto reacted, flinching under his touch and shoving him away. "Don't touch me!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Concern welled up in his chest at the odd behavior.

"What's wrong with you?! Touching me like you want to be more, like you're actually interested in me. Do you know how hard it is to move on because you pull shit like this all the time? I don't want you anymore got it! I don't want to hurt anymore! So stop touching me and luring me back in every single fucking time I think I might succeed!" He was panting hard by the end of his rant.

Sasuke looked like he had been slapped, hurt in his eyes. Quickly, enough his face morphed into an expressionless mask. "If that's what you want usuratonkachi. I won't bother you anymore."

The blonde's eyes shifted its gaze to the floor. "Good." He shifted again, straightening up. "Good," he repeated, quieter than the first. "Night." He moved slowly, shocked by his own outburst, but not taking it back. Sasuke stood in the hall, watching the blonde make his way down the hall to his room.

Sasuke turned around making his way to the kitchen, picking up the landline. He watched the cord sway as he dialed the number and waited. "Hey Sakura. I won two tickets to the festival in the next town. I thought you and Sai might like them. . . No. I don't do festivals. You wouldn't catch me dead at one. . . . If you leave now you can make it. . . . I'll leave them in the mailbox. . . . yeah, you too. Bye." The phone clanked as it was put back into its cradle.

He took the box of sweets, holding it over the trashcan than thought better of it. He made his way back to the bedrooms and put the box in front of Itachi's door. The sweet tooth his brother had could be rivaled by no one. He was certain to enjoy it.

He returned to his bedroom, stripping off the yukata in a dazed manner. He didn't bother folding the piece of clothing or hanging it up. He left it on the floor, strange for his usually meticulous personality. He only happened to catch a glimpse of himself in the mirror when he moved to get his night clothes. His face was perfectly blank. Was this what it felt like to get rejected? Empty at the same time hurting so much you don't know how to show it. Did Naruto feel like this every time he was harshly rejected?

He looked back at the desk, back at the tickets he had bought. He should put it in the mailbox.

He slipped out, put the tickets in the mailbox and disappeared back inside. He had heard Naruto vomiting in the bathroom as he walked by. He wanted to ask if he was okay, wanted to help him somehow. Naruto didn't want that. He didn't want Sasuke near him. He was finally tired of him. He had been too late in gaining the blonde's love and affection. He hadn't accept when he had the chance. Now the one person who would have given him what he had craved for so long, brotherhood, friendship, love, no longer wanted to give it to him. He forced himself to move away from the bathroom, locking himself in his bedroom for the rest of the night.


	18. Licking the Wounds

The following days seemed to blur by for Sasuke. He stuck to his routine religiously and spoke only when it was absolutely necessary. He took his meals in his room, would go straight to work and back, and had become a perfectionist Nazi in his training. Nothing was ever good enough. He would spend long hours at the training grounds working until his hands bled and was too tired move, or until Itachi came to get him. Sasuke didn't even have the energy to get flustered at Itachi's suggestions or come up with witty retorts. He stuck to his emotionless mask almost as if the second he let it slip was the moment he could no longer keep himself together.

Naruto on the other hand never left his room unless it was to go to the bathroom where he would spend considerable amount of time running water from either the bath or the sink. He become increasingly anti-social and left only to go to work where he would come back looking pale and haunted.

Itachi had no idea what was going on, but he was fairly certain that Sasuke's confession had not gone well. Any attempts to try to talk to Sasuke about it were met with resistance in the form of silence or a door to his face which left Naruto, and the blonde proved just as stubborn and problematic. Itachi couldn't even get a word out before the blonde effectively shut him out.

Eventually, enough was enough. Six days of the oppressive atmosphere was killing anyone and everyone nearby specifically the elder Uchiha. He missed the lively ambiance he had grown accustomed to and the colorful and witty banter that passed between them. The house was lonely and big with just him wondering about. He couldn't take the silence. The memories were occurring more often now and without any form of distraction from them, it was almost painful.

It was near noon when he sought out Sasuke. He didn't bother knocking on Sasuke's bedroom door. He knew that the chances of his presence being acknowledged were small. So instead, he lowered himself to the wooden floor, back against the door. Listening carefully, he could hear his brother beyond the barrier between himself and the younger male. "I take it the confession didn't go well." There was silence on the other side of the door and he didn't hear movement either. At least, Sasuke was listening. "I'm sorry that it didn't go the way as you planned, but it happens. As much as it hurts, you have to keep going. Part of life, part of being in love in general, is taking the pain as well as the pleasure. "

Itachi paused, contemplating his next words, picking them carefully. "Naruto-kun hasn't been well lately. I know you haven't really seen him lately. At least not long enough for you to really observe him. He spends a lot of his time in the bathroom with the water running. It gives me reason to believe he's been vomiting. I can't know for sure without eavesdropping. He's been very pale too. I can't even get him to talk to me let alone convince him to see a doctor. It's especially bad whenever he comes back from ANBU headquarters."

The elder Uchiha had taken a chance at telling Sasuke Naruto's condition. One the one hand, Sasuke could close his ears to it and continue his silence, not wanting to hear anything dealing with the blonde. On the other hand, and this was the hand Itachi had hoped Sasuke would take, the younger man's curiosity and concern would bring him out of his shell just long enough for Itachi to get him to open up.

The wooden door opened, Sasuke's pristine appearance coming into view, showing every bit of Sasuke's sudden obsession with perfection. It was kind of funny. While Naruto was becoming increasingly disheveled, forgetting things constantly, and locking himself away in his room, Sasuke had done the opposite in perfecting everything from appearance to training and staying out of the house as long as possible at the practice grounds. Both however were just as closed off and stubborn as the other though.

"You said the do- . . . Naruto is sick?" He asked, turning so his back was to his brother and proceeded walking into room expecting the elder raven to follow.

Itachi took the silent invitation and slipped into the room. Every inch was scrubbed clean, the bed without a single wrinkle, and every object perfectly in place. The worry Itachi had increased at the sight. "Indeed. He went back to his apartment for the night though. Said, he was homesick and wanted to spend the night there."

"I'll talk to Sakura and have her stop by to check on him," Sasuke replied impassively. He stood in front of his bedroom window looking out into the courtyard's garden.

"Don't you want to check on him yourself?" Itachi receive no answer, though he hadn't expected to get one. "Did it really go that badly?"

Sasuke was quiet for a long time before he answered. "I never got to say it. He told me to not touch him and that he didn't want to love me anymore. I couldn't bring myself to tell him after that. I don't have the right to try to change his mind. I made him suffer for years since we were 12 years old. It's only natural he'll want to fall out of love with me right?"

"Sasuke," Itachi replied gently. "Will you give up after only one try? You didn't even get a chance to speak. It is possible Naruto jumped to conclusions about your intentions or perhaps was just letting out steam?"

Dark onyx eyes shifted to look at Itachi. "I was wondering what I should do. A part of me doesn't want to give up. I loathe the idea of giving up so much that I get angry when I recall how I acted and wish that I had just pushed the idiot up against a wall and forced him to listen to me. Another part wonders if it is for the best. Naruto deserves someone better than me. I don't want to cause him pain anymore. After realizing how much rejection hurt and how often I made him feel it, I can understand why he told me to fuck off finally. What type of strong person does it take to take this feeling repeatedly and willingly in chance of possibly having his feelings reciprocated despite the low chances of success?"

"A strong person who loves you enough to think you are worth it," the elder brother replied easily. "If you give up now, you won't be a person worthy of that love Naruto-kun was so eager to give."

Sasuke's hand clenched and unclenched at his sides, shaking with barely contained emotions just boiling underneath the surface. "Do I deserve love? After everything I've done, the people I killed, the destruction I caused, do I deserve to have something as nice as that? Do I want Naruto to settle for someone like me when he could have so much better?"

A soft sigh escaped Itachi. He approached his brother and placed his hand on his shoulder. "You made a mistake, and you have your flaws, just like Naruto-kun has his. If he wanted to give you his love, knowing everything you've done and has accepted your defects without question, then in his eyes, you deserved to be loved, and he was the one to give it to you."

"But he doesn't want to anymore."

"You should talk to him Sasuke. Make sure he is okay and try to tell him again. If you think he truly doesn't want you after he knows your feelings towards him, then you can decide what to do from there."

Sasuke nodded numbly. "You said he was at his apartment?"

"Yes." He glanced over his brother. "But eat something first. I'll prepare something."

"No. . . I'll cook something." He walked passed Itachi, his posture completely straight and rigid, perfect.

Itachi sat at the small kitchen table as he watched his brother cook. His knife flew across the board with precision, chopping the vegetables with purpose and beauty. It was a wonder to watch him work. The awkward little child now a man who had grown with an elegance only the Uchiha seemed to possess, but his movements betrayed the anger he hid as his knife came down to meet the wooden cutting board each time he moved to slice the meat or vegetables and the fear when his knife hesitated just a moment before starting on each new ingredient. Still, his skill with the knife was unparalleled. He might have even been better than Itachi himself. Sasuke had also made some rice porridge, putting it into a container. No doubt it was for Naruto though he said nothing about it like it didn't exist.

The brothers sat down to the lunch prepared, eating quietly. It was the first time they had eaten together since Naruto and Sasuke self imposed seclusion, and Itachi could see more clearly everything Sasuke was determined not to show: the anxiety, the fear, the anger, the sadness. He really hoped Naruto would listen. If he didn't, he would talk to the blonde himself. Though he could leave the situation alone and let Sasuke recover on his own, the elder brother really didn't want to wait that long. It was painful to watch his little brothers go through this, both Sasuke and Naruto.

When the meal finished, Itachi removed the plates from the table to wash them, leaving Sasuke time to get changed. The younger man dragged his feet, taking longer than usual to get ready but was finished by the time the elder had put away the last dish. He pick up the container of porridge, putting it into a bag. Slowly and painfully, he started his walk to his friend's apartment.

* * *

Sasuke stood outside Naruto's apartment staring at the green painted door as he waited. He had knocked some time ago and still there had been no answer. He wondered whether to leave as it seemed Naruto had no intention of opening the door. As he turned to leave he had a thought. What if Naruto was incapable of opening the door? Itachi had said he was sick and though he had a significant amount of time to recover from his previous injuries to where it shouldn't inhibit him too much, it didn't mean they had healed properly and without infection.

Worry made up his mind for him, and he broke in, easily overcoming the security around the apartment since he had been one of the ones to help set it up. He had been prepared himself to Naruto lying on the floor incapacitated or possibly yell at him for the intrusion, but he hadn't anticipated the blonde sitting on the floor, curled up in a ball with a blanket wrapped tightly around his frame shivering uncontrollably.

"Naruto," he called out gently. Even with the soft, gentle tone, the blond flinch at the sound as if he had been burned.

"Sasuke," his voice shook. He paused, gathering himself together, forcing himself to stop shivering. before speaking again. "I wasn't expecting you." He looked up trying to smile, but his haggard appearance only made it look sickly.

"Dobe, what happened?" The raven set the container onto the table and carefully approached him as he would a scared injured animal.

"It's nothing, Sasuke. I just needed some time alone that's all." He avoided looking directly at Sasuke, keeping his gaze just below the chin and somewhere behind him.

It was unacceptable. The raven took a seat next to Naruto making sure to keep some distance between them, so there was no chance of them touching. "You can't lie worth shit you know."

"Yeah . . . I know." He curled up again, resting his forehead on his knees. "I've been meaning to speak with you to tell you I am sorry for what I said before. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's . . . been hard lately."

Sasuke took a moment to look around. All the curtains were drawn closed, the room was dark, the bed was untouched as well as the kitchen area. It seemed as if the only thing Naruto had done since he had been in the apartment was sit in a corner in the dark. "What happened to make you do something stupid like that?"

Naruto hid his face his blankets, taking slow steady breaths before speaking. "I hate blood. Did you know that? It gets everywhere and stains everything."

Sasuke wondered where he was going with the story, but he did not interrupt.

"I hate killing people. I try to avoid it when I can. I try to reason with the enemy when it allows it, try to make them see reason, try to be friends with everyone. I like peace. It's what I stand for. To protect lives, to find a way for all of us to live in a world without war. Assassination missions, missions where the enemy will not relent unless we kill them can't be helped. I know that, but at least they have a chance to defend themselves, and I can bond with them through our fists and better understand them." Naruto eyes teared. They looked red from crying before. "Interrogations and executions are nothing like that. I hate it. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up."

"Naruto?" Sasuke asked, dreading where this conversation was going.

"The elders found out about Itachi. They ordered me to kill him."

The Uchiha felt ice run through his veins, he himself tensing with fear.

"I told them to fuck off. That I would reveal everything if they so much as laid a hand on him. They told me that I was showing signs of weakness. That I wasn't ready for the position of Captain or Hokage, and that I was making demands and refusing orders. I couldn't let them take my position. I wouldn't be able to help anyone if they took it away, and they could move against you and Itachi if I was forced to step down, so I had to agree to a different set of orders or else I could be charged for insubordination or possibly becoming rogue if they felt like being really cruel. They knew I couldn't refuse, and they used that knowledge to punish me."

Naruto's tears were falling freely now, looking at his hands that were a raw angry red from being constantly and viciously scrubbed clean. "I keep seeing their blood on my hands, hearing their pleas and cries of pain. God, one of them had a family. He pleaded with me, begged me to let him see them one more time even if it was just a picture. I had to kill him without honoring his last wish while he was tied down and unable to do anything to stop what was happening to him. I couldn't do anything. Not a god damn thing. And worse, I have to walk in and pretend that I'm fine, like it isn't killing me on the inside. I know I'm captain, that this all needs to be done, that it has to be done in order to keep order and protect us and the village, but I just can't . . . can't-"

Sasuke took a chance. He wrapped his arm around the blonde, pulling his captain to him, so the blonde's head rested on his shoulder. Instead of pushing him away as Sasuke had feared, Naruto leaned more into him and cried.

Sasuke let him, his hand resting in his blonde hair his other taking his tanned hand into his as the blonde wet his shirt with his tears. Naruto wrapped his arms around him, hanging onto him for dear life, using Sasuke as his anchor, and Sasuke didn't mind. It made sense now why Naruto had snapped at him. Naruto was kind. Being forced to do something like that had frayed his nerves and the result was snapping at the nearest thing to relieve they pressure. The only problem was that he had felt guilty afterwards only adding to his frustration, and Sasuke was sure he didn't help much as a result. He wasn't going to make that mistake twice.

They stayed there, wrapped up in each other arms, for what felt like hours. Time didn't seem too important, and neither shinobi was in a hurry to move from their current positions. Naruto was the first to speak, breaking the calm and quiet atmosphere some time after he had stopped crying. "So how was your date?"

Sasuke chuckled. "I was stood up."

"She must be a bitch." The blonde muttered with jealousy lacing his tone.

"Yeah, he kind of was." Sasuke replied.

A snort escaped the captain. "Yeah right. Him. You're the biggest homophobe I know."'

"You know, the only gay person I knew before you was Orochimaru. I never feared him, but I was disgusted by the things he would do. He had a thing for young men." Sasuke shifted, getting more comfortable. "I guess I started associating any gay person with the things Orochimaru had done. I still don't consider myself gay, but I think I will make an exception for one specific man."

"Oh," was his only reply but he sounded heartbroken. "Lucky man."

"I don't know. He's kind of an idiot. He likes to put me through the paces, drives me up walls, and makes me lose my temper all time, but he is my equal in every way and tends to balance me out. He is my conscious, keeps me from making the same mistakes twice, and no matter how much pain I may caused him on a daily basis, he always seems to come back to me forgiving me like nothing happened and loving me anyway."

"And who is this lucky guy? Why tell me anything really?"

Sasuke leaned away enough so he could make the blonde look at him. He leaned forward, hesitating for a moment to take in Naruto's blue eyes, then brought his lips to his. It was a soft innocent kiss, and Naruto was too stunned to respond immediately, and it was over before he had a chance to recover. His dark eyes bore into the dazed blue ones with a bit of amusement. "You know, you should be grateful dobe. I made an exception for you. I expected you to be trying to jump me by now."

"Sorry. With everything going on, it's killed my libido for a while." The blonde settle his head back on Sasuke's shoulder. "Can we just stay like this for a while? I'm still not feeling great."

"Have you seen Sakura? Get checked out?"

The blonde shook his head no. "Been too busy."

"Alright." The raven stood up. "Take off your shirt then, and I'll check it myself."

"You? Are you a medical ninja now?" The blonde stood up too, but his legs were shaky, needing Sasuke for support.

"I learned some things from Sakura when I was with her and improved my knowledge after the incident with you last week. I'm not proficient in the skill, but I am able to access damage at least. I can't fix it though."

"Well if you want to play doctor to see if I'll need an actual doctor, how can I resist?" A smirk pulled at the blonde's lips as he dropped the blanket and pulled off his shirt.

Sasuke assessed the wounds. They were mostly healed. It seemed most of Naruto's sickness was psychosomatic after all. He had a feeling that was what was causing it when Naruto had described the situation and how he felt about it. It pissed Sasuke off to know what the elders had pulled. He wasn't going to forget it anytime soon either. "I brought you porridge. You should eat something to offset the fluids you've lost. You're starting to look severely dehydrated."

"I love it when you get all technical with me." Naruto wasted no time in moving to the table to open the container. It was like he made a complete 180, already lightening up in Sasuke's presence. It must have finally sunk in that Sasuke had told him he was interested too. Still, the raven sat across from him and was satisfied that the blonde was eating something.

"So where does that leave us?" He had a spoon full of porridge and was gesturing with it, getting some of it on the table. "I mean, are we . . . you know."

"Dating? Yeah," he watched the blonde make a mess, sighing internally. It was like watching a five year old eat sometimes. "But it's still . . ."

"You're not ready to be intimate right?" Naruto smiled. "I understand. I mean I kind of . . . didn't leave a good impression. But I can wait. I waited this long for you to return my feelings; I can wait for you to trust me again."

"It's not just that. I . . . do you really want me? I'm not good with emotional crap. I can't even bring myself to say three simple words because I'm scared that if I admit to myself I care for something, it will be taken from me. A lot of people have broken up with me because I could never tell them."

The spoon stopped just short of Naruto's mouth. Without much hesitation, he answered. "That won't be a problem."

"Why is that?" It wasn't a reaction Sasuke had expected.

"Someone once told me actions speak louder than words. I don't have to hear it as long as you show it. Things like this." He gestured to the porridge, smiling. "This is a good start. I mean I still want to hear those words. Someday. But for now, this is just as good." A big fat grin was plastered on his face. "Besides, you aren't a romantic anyway. The insults, the fights, I wouldn't trade them. It's us. It's what I love about our friendship. If I thought being in a relationship with you would get rid of all that and be replaced with a sappy romantic drama, I wouldn't have fallen for you."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile too. "If you keep drooling over me, you'll ruin the porridge."

"Shut up Teme," he grinned. Taking another bite, then it dawned on him and horror crossed his features. "Wait, I stood you up? The yukata, the sweets, those were for me?" When Sasuke nodded, he gapped. "Where were you planning on taking me?"

"I had planned to take you to the fall festival. You've nagged me about it for years. I thought it would be a good place to confess."

"Gah, stupid, stupid! Talk about bad timing to decide to be a prick." He looked up through his bangs, looking adorable. "Is it possible the festival is still going?"

"No. It ended three days ago." The blonde looked crestfallen at the news. "However, there is another festival in another village, though it's a bit farther." The grin was worth whatever pain he was going to go through at that festival, crowd or not.

"Good, but you have to wear a yukata again."

Sasuke met his with an unwavering gaze. "No."

"Aww come on. It would make my day."

"No. You missed your chance."

"But teme, you were really hot and I didn't get a chance to take it all in. I mean," His voice deepened, and his eyes filled with lust. "A yukata is so easy to remove, and it can be really sexy. A bit off the shoulders, and the tie lose enough so it's barely closed and your legs show. You'd be irresistible."

The flush on Sasuke's cheeks rivaled the skin of the apple Sasuke had cut up to go with the porridge. He cleared his throat avoiding Naruto's predatory gaze."I suppose it would be stupid not to wear the thing. Wouldn't want to stand out too much in the crowd."

Naruto laughed. "Of course Teme. Of course."


	19. Date Night

Sasuke gently tucked the sleeping blond into bed, pulling the blanket over the man. He still had a fever and over did it with the antics. Naruto was already sprawling out under his covers, scratching his stomach in his sleep, his shirt riding up. How he had fallen for such a messy, unrefined man, Sasuke hadn't the faintest idea.

He wouldn't forgive the elders for what they had done. They had made Naruto miserable. They had made him suffer yet again. How many times did they have to torture him before they were satisfied?

He deposited the dishes into the sink. He was going to be back later tonight anyway to check on his boyfriend, so he could clean them later. Until then, he had some business to take care of. He checked in on Naruto one last time to make sure he was sleeping before leaving.

His brother wasn't home which was a bit of a surprise since he was sure Itachi was going to want to interrogate him but was grateful in a way. He was on a mission and didn't want to be talked out of it.

He changed into his ANBU uniform quickly and efficiently, letting his mind run wild with everything he was going to say or possibly do. He hadn't been worked up this much in some time. In hindsight, it should have occurred to him that matters involving his dobe always seemed to rile him up one way or another in a way no one else had. That probably should have tipped him off that Naruto meant more to him than he was telling himself.

He could have snuck in. It probably would have been the smarter thing to do, but his anger had a habit of controlling his actions. He went through the front, daring the ANBU guards to stop him from entering. They did try, but his mangekyo put them all in a genjutsu. If Naruto knew they were taken down so easily, he would put them through a week of boot camp hell. He made a mental note to tell Naruto discretely without informing him why he was there in the first place. Sasuke did enjoy watching and occasionally assisting the boot camp. He sometimes, if he was feeling nice, would make sure Naruto wouldn't go past making them cry.

He burst through the doors leading into the elder's chamber, startling the ANBU kneeling and the elders themselves. Just as Naruto trained him, the ANBU attacked; keeping his eyes down casted to avoid the sharingan the moment he realized he was fighting an Uchiha. It was an improvement from the guards outside but not good enough. He rendered the man unconscious with his sharingan as well. After all, he had to look up to see who he was fighting.

"Uchiha! What do you think you are doing?!" Homura stood, his face red with rage.

"I should ask you the same thing," his voice was cold and deadly. He hadn't bothered to put on his mask. He wanted them to know exactly who they were talking to. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, but then again, I suppose you like playing innocent. Do you like tormenting and abusing those who are loyal to this village?" He snapped.

"And who exactly are we tormenting Uchiha, and do not think that any answer you give will get you out of punishment for this stunt." Koharu spoke this time, frowning more than usual.

"What the hell were you thinking, putting Uzumaki in Ibiki's place?" He growled. Seeing them, acting as if he was in the wrong (though technically he was) and that they were completely innocent, infuriated him. These two were practically as guilty as Danzo was. "If you want to punish someone, go after who you really want instead of taking it out on others."

"Captain Uzumaki is simply taking over for another shinibi," the elder said stiffly.

"Bullshit. I know what you ordered Uzumaki to do, and when Uzumaki called you out on it, you punished him. Even if Ibiki was on a mission, there are many others who would be more suited for that line of work." Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "You insist on harming those who would cut off their own arm than harm the village. You forced my brother to kill his entire clan, children included, and continued to use him as your scapegoat when the situation was caused by your maltreatment to the Uchihas in the first place. And now, after making Uzumaki's life a living hell for majority of his life, continue to restrain and make him miserable when he is doing what is right. If it wasn't for him, there would be no integrity in this village."

"Uchiha─"

"Silence!" He growled, when they tried to speak. "You will damn well listen. If it were not for Uzumaki there would be no alliance with the Suna let alone the other nations. Pein would have killed all of you, and Madara would have won the Fourth war. He's a hero, no thanks to you. And now, after everything he had done, you plan to break his spirit. I ought to kill you right here."

He paused, taking in their shocked age faces. He would probably get kicked out of ANBU for this. "Because of the stress from the recent infiltration, the murders, his recovery on the attempt on his life, his command over two missions simultaneously, and finally this new 'assignment' you gave him, Uzumaki has stressed himself out to the point of illness. I will take over his punishment in his place to ease his burdens."

"There is no need. Ibiki has returned and is able to take over," Homura's voice was tight. "Turn in your uniform on your way out."

A smirk tugged on his lips. "Uzumaki is the only one who can fire me until his mission is complete. Hokage's orders." Unfortunately, he was at their mercy afterwards. "I'll be taking my leave. Think about what I said. If I find you pulling shit like this again, neither Uzumaki nor Itachi will be able to stop me when I come after you."

He gave them a mock bow, before taking his leave; the elders gaping behind him.

* * *

After only a day, Naruto was already looking better. He was no longer pale and haunted, his eyes had regained their familiar spark, and his energy was coming back. Sasuke's presence was helping. After his little threat to the council members, he had returned to Naruto's side, slipping into his bed and curling himself around him as he slept. He turned off the blond's alarm before it could go off and wake him then made himself comfortable.

Naruto had woken in panic, at first thinking he was late, then thinking that Sasuke in his bed was a hallucination and he'd finally went mad. Eventually, he thought he had taken advantage of Sasuke again and started apologizing profusely, until the raven was awake enough to remind him of the previous day's events. Naruto had flushed and apologized again for waking him.

Sasuke slept peacefully beside him. It was probably the best sleep he had gotten in a long time. It felt so right having his arms around Naruto, to wake up to him. He didn't like his personal space being violated usually, but he was used to this particular idiot always being his space since they were children.

Now, Sasuke stood in front of the manor waiting for Naruto to get changed so they could leave.

Naruto on the other hand was panicking as he threw his clothes all over the room, looking for something nice to wear. He didn't have a yukata. He had never bought one, and he wanted to look his best. He was going on a date with Sasuke. Sasuke! Of all people! He could hardly breathe. His five year dream was finally being fulfilled. He was not going to ruin it by looking anything less than perfect.

He threw another shirt across the room. The only nice clothes he owned were the black ones he wore at funerals. As much as Sasuke liked dark colors, it didn't seem appropriate.

"Naruto, may I come in?" The knock on the bedroom door drew Naruto's attention, pulling him out of his frantic thoughts.

"Sure thing Itachi."

The elder man came into the room with a white box in his hands. "I heard from Sasuke that you were heading to a festival. I thought it would be appropriate to give this to you. Think of it as a belated birthday gift."

He eyed the box, wondering what was inside, and his jaw nearly dropped when he saw the beautiful orange yukata. It was made with the finest materials. While the main color was very similar to the orange jumpsuits he used to constantly wear as a teenager, the bottom faded into a darker, almost red, orange. "I can't accept this. I can't even think of how much money you spent on this."

Itachi shoved the opened box to him anyway. "This is the least I can do." Itachi's eyes, no longer that innocent, friendly gaze that he had when he had first awoken, now of a worn veteran who hid the horrors he had witness with a friendly smile, watched Naruto. He was still warm and still gave off the elder brother vibe, but it was hard to see such a drastic change, to see how much his actions really took a toll on him. Naruto wondered how much of his memory had returned. "After all the pain I have caused my brother . . . I wish to see him happy as I wish to see you happy. You have done so much for me and Sasuke, I wish for you to enjoy yourselves tonight. A yukata is hardly anything in return."

It was too difficult to say no after that, so Naruto accepted it. He prayed he didn't get it dirty. He put it on, marveling at how smooth and soft it felt on his skin. It was like being wrapped in a cloud. He did a quick check in the mirror, decided to roll up the sleeves to his shoulder, and then left to meet Sasuke.

Naruto nearly drooled at the sight of Sasuke in a yukata. Sasuke really did look regal in old fashion clothes like that. It was a gentle reminder that Sasuke was from a noble family, an old and powerful one at that. The thought put a damper on his mood and his smile lessened. Sasuke was his after all this time, but if they end up staying together . . . was he selfish enough to take away Sasuke's chance to rebuild his clan?

Sasuke turned to greet him his dark eyes roaming over Naruto's form, causing the blond to blush. The blond's yukata wasn't tied quite properly , leaving the front more open, showing off his tan chest and his sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders showing off lean muscular arms. Sasuke felt a flash of desire was through him. Such untidiness shouldn't look so appealing. "Come on, dobe. We'll miss our ride."

"Coming," he bounded over to Sasuke's side, linking though arm with Sasuke's, whose arms were crossed.

Sasuke had expected people to stare at them as their made their way to the gate. After all, Sasuke had a man linking arms with him and he rarely let his previous girlfriends touch him that way in public. Occasionally he did of course, but it was obvious he didn't like it. Everyone just ignored the two of them like it was normal, and the few who did pay them mind just smiled instead of looking on in shock. Did everyone know this was going to happen? Then again . . . images of Naruto hanging on him in the past flitted through his head. Perhaps this wasn't an odd development after all. Naruto had always been touchy with him. He sighed. How blind had he been exactly?

"So . . . we have a ride?" Naruto asked. He looked awkward, looking from the place where he was touching Sasuke, to the people around them, then at the ground.

"Running would have been quicker, but you should be resting."

Naruto nodded; looking at the place he was holding Sasuke again. Carefully, he slipped his arm away, forcing himself to keep them at his side.

A quirk of Sasuke's eyebrow had Naruto smiling nervously. "Sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or embarrass you. I'll keep them to myself. I know you like your space and─," he was rambling, Sasuke noticed with amusement. It was a bad habit of his to ramble when he was extremely nervous. It's been a while since he had seen Naruto flustered, and he felt a bit smug at the fact that he was causing it.

Naruto was still rambling when Sasuke put his arm around Naruto's waist and pulled him close so that their sides were pressed together. Sasuke couldn't stop his own blush from appearing, so he looked straight ahead as if he was unaware of his own actions. This was definitely new to him, willingly showing affection in public. He was worried this was going to go to the elders and jeopardize Naruto's captaincy; hopefully his threats would keep them quiet. They really couldn't afford two rampant Uchihas, and they were well aware that if they did something to Sasuke, Itachi would retaliate.

There was a horse drawn wagon waiting for them, and they both climbed in. It was odd leaving the village for a reason other than a mission. Sasuke couldn't remember a time they were able to take their time and enjoy the trip. He glanced at Naruto. The blond was restless, but he had been expecting that. He could hardly sit still on a normal day. Injuries and illness wouldn't change that. "Relax. It's an hour trip."

"Sorry." The apology was mumbled and immediately followed by more fidgeting.

The ride didn't help dissipate the awkward atmosphere. Neither man was sure what to do now that the status of their relationship had changed, so the silence between them continued.

It wasn't until the wagon came to a stop just outside the town that Naruto was pulled out of his uncharacteristic nervous behavior. His eyes were wide and bright, and the huge smile pulling at his mouth was a sight to see.

Forgetting himself, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and jumped off the wagon, dragging the raven behind him down a path lined with red paper lanterns. For once, Sasuke let himself be dragged. He wasn't interested in the beautiful decorations or the entertainment available around them, and he ignored the presence of the many other couples and families around them. None of it deserved his attention. His eyes could only take in Naruto's smile. The responsibilities and worries the blond carried over the past few months just melted away and were replaced with excitement and wonder.

Unlike Konoha, they attracted several stares of curious onlookers. They were after all holding hands in public and both were pretty attractive looking. Naruto was completely oblivious and continued to drag him to the first game booth that came into sight. It was the typical goldfish scooping game. One Sasuke had played many times in his younger days with his family. Since the game required speed and care, their many years of shinobi training would make the game extremely easy for both of them, so Sasuke only paid for one game sure that even with only one scooper, Naruto should be able to get multiple fish into his bowl.

He shouldn't have been so surprised when his blond idiot broke the paper for his scoop after the first try. Nor should he have been surprised when the next four broke as well. By the fifth attempt, Naruto's face was pinched in concentration only to have him crying out in defeat when the goldfish fell through the delicate paper yet again.

Withholding a sigh, Sasuke paid for a poi and squatted next to his boyfriend, taking the bowl from him. He did not tell Naruto to watch or make a snide remark to gain his attention. He knew his captain had his eyes on him the moment he paid for his poi. He could sense the scrutiny even when his concentration drew to the fish. With quick and precise movements, his poi cut into the water and nabbed his first goldfish, dumping it into the ceramic bowl with a flick of his wrist. He caught another four goldfish in a similar fashion while Naruto simply watched.

After the fifth goldfish, he handed the poi over Naruto. His lower lip caught between his teeth, Naruto tried his sixth attempt. While part of the paper did rip, he managed to catch his first fish before it fell through the hole. The resulting smile was one of pure glee as he caught another two before the rest of the paper gave out. The booth owner bagged their caught goldfish and handed it to Naruto, who happily took it before dragging Sasuke to the next game booth.

Turned out that Naruto had no skill in any of the games following, leaving Sasuke to win the games for him. Naruto, the man who could literally do the impossible, the man who could move nations, had trouble with simple games that most shinobi's could easily win. If Sasuke was a lesser man, he would rub it in the blond's face or at the least tease him about it, and it was quite tempting to do so.

Naruto stopped at the last game booth, his eyes lingering on the giant stuffed frog sitting innocently on the shelf. Sighing and without waiting for Naruto to make a horrid attempt at the game, Sasuke paid and picked up the darts, hitting the center of the targets with ease. When asked which prize he wanted, Naruto asked for the fox mask before Sasuke could speak.

"You're just in luck, this is our last mask," the shop keeper, a bald middle aged man, smiled gently at them.

He would have missed it if he wasn't paying attention. The way Naruto's smile became tighter and his muscles tensing as if he was preparing for battle. Despite being on guard, Naruto graciously accepted the prize. "This mask is popular?" He asked.

The owner laughed full heartedly. "You must be new to the area. I'm sure you've heard of Uzumaki Naruto."

Sasuke snorted. Naruto jabbed him with his elbow. "Perhaps," the ANBU captain smiled wryly.

Oblivious to the entire exchange, the man continued. "He is the hero of Konohagakure, and the hero of the Fourth Shinobi War. He brought the five great nations together, made an alliance with Suna, and defended Konoha from being completely destroyed several times. And this was all before his eighteenth birthday." The man spoke with so much enthusiasm, Naruto was turning red at the indirect attention. "And to make him more impressive, he is a jinchuuriki for Kyuubi. Thus why the fox mask." He ended proudly, pointing at the object in Naruto's hand.

"Hn, sounds like an idiot to me, trying to save everyone all the time." That earned Sasuke a glare from the blond.

The owner didn't seem to like the comment either. "You boys should show some respect. What have you two done in your life time? Youngsters these days have no motivation."

Sasuke shrugged. "All I'm saying is that he's an idiot because if he's taking care of nations, I doubt he takes care of himself."

The glare Naruto was sending him softened into a warm gaze. "I suppose that's what he has a boyfriend for," he replied.

The owner looked confused at his words, but neither shinobi was paying him much mind anymore. "Ready to go Naruto? There's a takoyaki stand over there."

"Sounds good." Naruto put on the mask so it rested on the side of his head, very similar to the way he wore his ANBU mask when it wasn't covering his face.

They left the gaping owner behind, eager to leave before he tried to ask for autographs or something similar. As they moved away, the tension rolled off Naruto's shoulder. "I thought you would go for the frog," Sasuke asked.

"Yeah well. I figured you wouldn't like being accompanied by a guy carrying a giant stuffed animal." The emotional distance was coming back. The fake grin. The idiotic expression. Maybe a few years ago he would have been fooled. Maybe even six months ago (though he would have thought something was wrong but wouldn't question it). But now he definitely knew better. He knew it was an expression that kept people from getting too close. To throw them off if they wandered into uncomfortable territory.

"You never worried that much about my image before. I believe you stole my clothes at the bath house on one mission and forced me to walk to my house in only a towel. Took a month to convince everyone I wasn't a pervert."

A grin tugged on his lips. He was trying not to give in. "Ever think I did that to see you run around naked?"

"Stupid thing to do since you could see me naked in the bath."

Naruto laughed, slapping Sasuke's shoulder. "Truth be told, I did it because I hated all those girls hanging over you. I knew you'd forgive me after a couple days, which you did," he added when Sasuke scowled at him. "And with all the girls weary of you, you ended up spending more time with me."

"I never knew you were so manipulative." Naruto paid for the takoyaki and picked up two toothpicks so they could share. "So why were you tense earlier at the booth?"

There was a slight down turning of his lips, and he looked away. "It's nothing Sasuke. Just forget about it."

"And if I don't want to?" The raven stopped, forcing Naruto to stop as well.

"Sasuke . . . Just don't. It's nothing alright." His voice was tired and weary.

Warm arms wrapped around his broad shoulders. He felt Naruto grow rigid as his chest pressed against his back, pulling him close. "If it's nothing, you would have told me, baka," he whispered.

Sasuke didn't think Naruto was going to open up even as his body relaxed and leaned into the embrace. They were in public and Naruto had told him more about his personal feelings and history in the past month than the past five years. After laying himself raw so many times in such a short time span, he didn't expect Naruto to.

"That guy, kind of looked like a shop owner back in Konoha. He sold masks too." His body sagged against him, letting Sasuke take his weight. It was a sign of trust. No shinobi, especially an ANBU Black Ops shinobi, let their guard down like this. They had seen too much where moments of vulnerability like this got you killed. The amount of trust given by the simple action of letting Sasuke practically hold him up warmed the Uchiha, and his arms held him closer. No one but Naruto would ever trust him to this extent. Trust him to protect them while their guard was down, and he knew he was the only one Naruto would trust.

"When I was a kid, before I knew about Kurama, I saw this fox mask. I found it interesting, so I reached out to take a better look. The owner saw me and shoved me away from his stall, called me a monster, and it drew a crowd. When I yelled and told him I was just looking, he noticed the mask I was looking at." Sasuke could feel a shudder go through the man's body. "The look of disgust he gave me haunted me. He threw the mask at me, told me it fit me and to never come near his store again. Seeing the booth owner," a hollow chuckle, "the contrast was startling." He took a deep breath. "I've been pretty weak lately huh. I know you've seen me uncool before but I never wanted you to see me so pathetic."

"Only fair. I wasn't exactly cool the years I ran away."

"Well you did kind of have that annoying flair, so you still were no matter how annoying it was for the rest of us. I hated you for it, acting all cool that is. Even when we found you, you were still cooler than me," Naruto grumbled.

"Not my fault you can't walk a few steps without tripping."

Naruto rolled his eyes, pulling away from him. "I tripped one time! So what if it was in front of everyone?! Who put's a chair there anyway?!"

Naruto really did make it too easy. "And they told me you did in fact have working eyes. Imagine my surprise."

Naruto's bottom lip puckered out before he stuffed a takoyaki ball into his mouth, still pouting. "Jerk."

Sasuke smirked, picking up the items he dropped when he moved to take Naruto into his arms. "Fireworks will be starting soon. We should find a spot to watch from." He dumped the pile of items into Naruto's arms. It was his stuff anyway. "Find a spot. I need to get something."

"Sure thing. Don't do anything to get yourself in trouble okay?"

"Hn, speak for yourself." Sasuke waved him off, heading off into the crowd, expertly dodging everyone.

Satisfied that Sasuke wouldn't maim some poor sap who decided to try to walk too close to the Uchiha, Naruto went to the river to see if there were any good spots left. There was one. Setting everything down, he searched through his prizes. There were cute little trinkets: charms, goldfish, the mask, a blanket, and a frog coin purse to replace his worn out one. It was a nice little haul. He smiled. They could share the blanket. Untying the plastic wrapped around it, he unfolded it, feeling the soft cotton fibers beneath his fingertips.

A buzz against his abdomen had him panicked for an instant before he remembered that he brought the tablet with him. Pulling it out, he frowned. He had a message from the intelligence team. His frown deepened as he read the contents.

That was how Sasuke found him, curled over the device frowning before making his face completely neutral. He didn't know whether to be angry that Naruto had brought work with him, frustrated that work might be interrupting his date again, or worried that his actions have already caught up to them. He settled next to his captain, who used the blanket to cover their laps before handing the tablet over to Sasuke.

Naruto watched the night sky as Sasuke read over the message. Each star seemed especially bright tonight, twinkling against the inky black background. Each star a different size, a different color, a different brightness. Many stars were outshined by others, making them barely visible by the naked eye. If one of those stars disappeared, would it be missed? Would it make the night sky a darker place? Or could that star one day be the brightest of them all, more important than the rest.

He almost didn't feel a light weight placed on his lap. Looking down, a pair of large yellow eyes looked back at him. Attached to those eyes was a large red body of a frog. The same frog he had seen at the dart booth. Sasuke had laid back on the grass, looking as cool as ever, the tablet resting on his chest. He looked at ease, not a care in the world as he watched the first firework light the night sky in a fiery red explosion, lighting the surrounding area around them with a red hue.

He shouldn't worry so much, he thought, lying beside Sasuke, seeking the warmth from his body. This time was for them. They'd take care of business after the fireworks.

The fireworks lasted for about twenty minutes. Sasuke made comments about what a waste of gunpowder it was and Naruto stuffed food in his mouth to make him shut up. It also meant he didn't get to eat as much of the takoyaki as he wanted to, but there were few ways to make him shut up and Naruto was still feeling out where those boundaries were. He pushed too much twice already, he wasn't about to make a third mistake.

As the fireworks started the grand finale, they both stood up, gathering their things. Sasuke had been smart enough to grab a bag while he was away, so they packed everything away quickly before other observers began to move out and the crowds began.

The smell of gunpowder was thick in the air and the amount of people moving around the main walkway had thinned between people leaving the festival and those who left to see the fireworks on the riverbank.

Sasuke and Naruto walked next to one another in a companionable silence.

_A team found Inoichi tied up and buried alive under a tree near one of the parks outside ANBU headquarters, 10 minutes ago. He is alive, but in the hospital._

Naruto walked a bit closer to Sasuke, sneaking an arm around his waist and pulling him closer. A mischievous glint was in his eyes as he whispered into the raven's ear, his hand sliding down his back, his breath caressing the sensitive skin. Sasuke flushed.

_We had a report of Inoichi leaving the village to meet up with his squad a few minutes after you two left. Recon team thought it was strange for him to be alone and kept tabs on him._

Naruto bit his ear lightly before licking the wound. Every part of him looked like a hungry fox. Looking around, Naruto pulled a reluctant Sasuke down an alley.

_He was following you. You two are being watched. Be careful._

Just as a fairly average looking woman with a light brown ponytail turned the corner to enter the alley, there was already a rasengan at her stomach and Sasuke at her back to keep her from flying into the booths and hittig nearby civilians. She took the full brunt of the attack. Her disguise failed. The light brown turned dark, the average brown eyes became a startling violet, and her clothes became regulation ANBU. Sasuke restrained her before she fell. She was unconscious and would remain for a while after such an attack. But at least they knew who their intruder was.

 **We have caught the intruder.** Naruto typed back into his tablet. **Kayano Ayumi will be brought into custody shortly.**


	20. Vulnerability

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Naruto didn't glance at Sasuke who stood at his side dressed in full ANBU gear, mask included. Not that the mask would do much. Their culprit would already know who was behind the mask anyway. Still, the concern was touching given the state Naruto had ended up in the last time he was forced to do this. Though he did not plan to actively participate, he still wanted to be in the room. "Yeah."

Sasuke nodded, not questioning him further in his decision. At least that was one thing that had changed over the years. The raven no longer challenged his authority. In fact, he was the first to follow orders unless he truly disagreed with the decision. It was a comfort in a way that someone trusted his decisions that much.

Sasuke opened the door leading into the interrogation room. It was a private room, deep underground beneath Konoha. There was florescent lighting in the 10x10 meter room. It was an unnecessarily large room for it to only contain a chair bolted to the floor. Ayumi was strapped to the chair. A Hyuuga had came in earlier to block her chakra points. With the addition to the chakra restraints on her wrists, all her limbs were properly restrained with thick leather straps. Ibiki stood beside her with his tools already out on a small table he had brought in. "Fox," he greeted, nodding his head at Naruto.

Naruto nodded back, grateful for the mask. Just looking at those tools was making him sick. "Alright, Ayumi. We'll give you a chance to get out of this. Tell us, what we want to know, and we'll go from there alright?" His tone bland and missing inflection. No matter his personal feelings when it came to interrogation work, he would be professional.

Ayumi stayed silent, looking straight ahead at the blank wall, her face completely devoid of emotion.

"Ayumi, I am asking. Tell us what you know." Naruto asked again, silently praying she would give into the request.

"I cannot tell you anything," she said quietly.

Resignation to what was to come had Naruto closing his eyes. "If that's the way you want to play it. Ibiki, she's all yours." Naruto backed away to give Ibiki room, moving to stand next to Sasuke who watched impassively.

"Summoning Jutsu, Torture Chamber," Ibiki's deep voice filled the otherwise silent room. A cage constructed itself around Ibiki and the prisoner, while wires wrapped around the woman's body, pulling tight and tighter, until they began to cut and tear into her flesh.

Her eyes screwed shut tying to swallow the pain. Her nerves were on fire, sharp prickling in her appendages from lack of blood flow, but they only pulled tighter, until she started to scream.

Naruto closed his eyes then, unable to watch anymore. But he had to. He was captain; he had to watch the session. Inoichi was unable to get anything from her. This was the only way to keep more of his comrades from dying.

A warm hand squeezed his shoulder in comfort. He recognized that hand, and he relaxed under Sasuke's touch, forcing his eyes open. He wasn't alone. He didn't have to put up a facade in front of Sasuke as long as the prisoner didn't see his weakness. He wasn't carrying the burden by himself.

Ibiki continued for twenty minutes, but she would not speak. That was when the examiner got more creative. Calling off his jutsu, he picked up a senbon off the tray. This was where it started getting messy.

Naruto excused himself before he could watch Ibiki impale her repeatedly. He could methodically stab a person in 1000 places with that needle before his victim needed severe medical attention while causing extreme pain. Naruto himself had done the technique once while filling in for Ibiki. He did not care to relive the experience.

Naruto paced outside the room, partially relieved he didn't have to watch and partially upset that he was so weak that he had actually fled the room.

The sound of the door opening and closing, registered in the back of his mind. Knowing who it was, he didn't say anything, just paced slowly.

"If you can't handle it, Dobe, then leave. I can take care of it myself." Despite the harsh words, Naruto translated that into concern and worry.

"I'm fine, just needed a break," he offered a fake smile that didn't fool Sasuke in the slightest with his condescending gaze. Sighing, he dropped the front. "There has to be a reason why she's doing this. If we can get her to talk to me, we could work this out."

"If she wanted to cooperate, she would have spoken by now. Even if she does have a reason, she still killed our men and your trainees."

Naruto winced at the reminder, thinking of the dead bodies and the video. Sasuke's face softened from the stern indifference into something that showed just hints of his affection he held for the blond man in front of him.

"Perhaps I can convince Ibiki to let you have a few moments alone with him."

"Will you have my back?"

Sasuke smirked. "If you have to ask then you're more of a baka than you look."

"Bastard," he smiled, walking up to his boyfriend. He warmed at the thought. Sasuke was finally his and his alone. On an impulse, he leaned forward and kissed the corner of the Uchiha's lips, short, sweet, and entirely innocent. "And thanks for worrying about me."

Sasuke looked off to the side, murmuring something under his breath with a soft blush on his cheeks. "You're welcome.

Sasuke somehow managed to convince Ibiki to allow him to take care of it. Naruto didn't ask how. He wasn't sure he wanted to. Plausible deniability and all that.

Ayumi was sitting in a chair, her hands still bound though they had taken off a few of her restraints. Without them, her body was slump, and her wounds from the torture had been superficially treated, making sure she was still in agony to wear down her emotionally and mentally. While Naruto didn't agree to the treatment, he knew he wouldn't be able to barter out of it. In Ibiki's mind, he was just being the good cop, the better offer to the alternative that awaited her if she did not comply.

Naruto prepared her a glass of water with a straw, offering it to her. She eyes it suspiciously, but even that didn't stop her from trying to down the contents. Basic method of torture was to deprive the individual of sleep and food. Sometimes, even water was denied until the last moment, just barely keeping them alive to continually break down the individual. As Inoichi and Ibiki had been unsuccessful with their interrogating tactics, they were forced to be more inhumane than usual.

"I'm sorry about them. They're just doing their jobs."

The woman before him said nothing. Smart on her part. Starting a conversation and saying anything could give unintentional information away.

Unfortunately, her stubbornness wasn't what he needed. "I'm sure you already know that. You've been a ninja here since the war right?" When the woman said nothing, Naruto just leaned forward. "I'm sure you have a good reason for doing this. Is it a family member?"

Still nothing.

"Village?"

She kept her gaze straight ahead and unflinching as if she sealed herself off to everyone. Naruto had seen that look once before. Sasuke had the same expression when he had left Konoha. When his words failed to reach him at the valley of the end, and when they were reunited three years later. His words would not reach the dark place she was hiding in. Not when she did not believe he understood whatever it was that she was going through.

"I was like you once," Sasuke spoke up from his position from the wall, his eyes cast downwards to the ground, his eyes unfocused as he pulled up old memories. "Doing what had to be done because if you didn't the pain would eat you alive. And though you're surrounded by people who care, you don't believe that they do. How can they when they don't understand what you've been through. How could the ever understand?"

His voice was low, steady, and calm like he was just stating facts and sounding bored. Naruto knew better. He could read Sasuke better than anyone. Perhaps that was how he could see that Sasuke's words were getting through to her. Sasuke must have noticed as well as he kept going.

"Because you're dark and stained, and you don't belong on the path of light. So you keep going farther and farther away from it until you notice that you can no longer see what's in front of you and lose yourself to the fact that no matter what you do, you can never repent for your sins, yet you can't help but crave and wish deep down buried under the denial that someone will reach out and pull you back."

The woman closed her eyes, trying to keep back the tear that slid down her cheek. Naruto wisely stayed silent to allow her time to process Sasuke's words. He wouldn't wait too long because she could fortify her defenses again before they could get anything out of her.

Shifting his gaze to Sasuke, Naruto gave him a reassuring smile. Sasuke never did like talking about his mistake. And he felt a swell of love and pride for him. Sasuke flushed lightly and snorted at the show of affection. There was no point in hiding their relationship since the enemy seemed to already know.

Turning his attention back to her, he spoke softly to her. "We want to help you Ayumi. Just tell us why you're doing this or give us a hint to start us off with something."

Ayumi's eyes softened before they grew hard with determination, her body going rigid as if preparing for an assault. She grimaced as she opened her mouth. "I-Itachi. He-help." Her body went still. Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and her body began to convulse.

"Shit! Get a medic!" Naruto shot out to undo the restraints when she couldn't seem to breath, choking on air. It was while she was choking, her head thrown back when he saw the seal mark on the roof of her mouth. It wasn't that she wouldn't talk before, she couldn't. She had to fight to get out those two words before practically having a seizure.

Carefully, he lowered her to the floor, trying to minimize the damage when she began to flail. Medics rushed in a moment later, taking over the procedures.

"A fucking seal mark. How did we miss it?!" Naruto hissed, running his hands through his hair viciously. If they had known, they could have worked on breaking that seal instead of interrogating her. He was so disgusted, he didn't even have words.

"Dobe, it's not your fault. Calm down." Naruto shot Sasuke a glare which Sasuke gladly returned. "Calm. Down."

He scowled, but eventually forced a slow breath and released the tension, watching as their prisoner was escorted from the room on a stretcher.

"It seems that my aniki is the target," Sasuke said. Despite the calm, Naruto could sense the raven's annoyance.

Still something seemed off. It was just a feeling he had. "You go ahead and head over. I'm going to stay and make sure she gets through this."

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably.

"I'll be fine. Make sure Itachi-nii is safe."

Sasuke stayed still for a few moments before nodding. "Yes, Uzumaki-taichou."

Naruto watched his boyfriend leave the room. He could trust Sasuke to protect Itachi, but something was still nagging him. Why would the partner go after Itachi? There were plenty of times both he and Sasuke had been pulled away from him. If they wanted to kill him or kidnap him, they had more than enough chances. They were missing something.

Naruto called for his intelligence team to meet up with him. Hopefully, they could pick up something he missed.

* * *

"Sasuke, this is not necessary. I can protect myself." Itachi frowned at his younger brother as he looked up from his book.

"I just got you back. I'm not going to lose you again." Sasuke snapped. He was pacing and as much as he tried to stop himself from doing so, he couldn't. "The imposter said to help you and that's what I'm going to do."

Itachi shook his head, standing up. The clock was just striking four am.

"Where are you heading?"

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "The restroom." When Sasuke moved to follow, the elder raised his hand. "I will be okay by myself for a few minutes."

With a scowl, Sasuke leaned back against the wall, settling down as he waited for Naruto to join them. He was running late.

Minutes passed in silence with nothing but the ticking off the clock above him. He was just about to go check on his brother when Itachi returned. "You took your sweet time."

Itachi looked amused. "I apologize that my seven minutes in the restroom concerned you. If you have to know, I was taking my medication while I was in there. I will remember in the future to give you a detailed report of my whereabouts at all times , including any time I deem it necessary to breath to any sexual escapades that might occur."

The younger raven blanched. "Don't put disturbing pictures in my head."

"Then do not concern yourself of what I do every moment. I cannot even twitch without you reacting. As endearing as your over protectiveness is, it is also suffocating when in excess." The older brother walked back to the sofa, sitting down and picking up his book again.

"I'm trying to protect you," Sasuke grumbled.

"Perhaps, but you should also worry about yourself. You have been a target in the past. Don't let your guard down now."

"I know that Nii-san. I don't need you to remind me."

Itachi stared at him with assessing eyes then nodded, going back to his book.

More time passed in silence.

Sasuke started tapping his fingers on his leg, growing impatient. Naruto was late.

After some time, Sasuke glanced over at Itachi watching him flip a page in his book.

Sasuke pushed himself off the wall, staring at Itachi openly now. That had been peculiar. "Nii-san?"

"Yes?" Itachi didn't seem to be reading anymore. His eyes were no longer following the page. In fact he seemed to be concentrating on something else.

"You weren't always left handed were you?" Sasuke asked.

Itachi looked up indifferent. "We are taught to be ambidextrous , Sasuke. Occasionally, I use my left hand."

Sasuke stared a moment longer before quietly accepting it, but something felt off, like a thick miasma of tension had descended upon the living room.

Sasuke drew his blade.

"So this is where the little Uchiha had been hiding."

Sasuke turned to the window. He hadn't even heard someone had entered. Even seeing the cloaked figure, he could not feel her presence. The voice sounded suspiciously like Ayumi. Sasuke immediately positioned himself between his brother and the intruder. The miasma was thick in the room. It almost felt suffocating. Was it the jutsu Naruto had described? Had he been affected by it? "Take another step, and I will kill you," Sasuke said, his voice as cold as ice.

The figure lifted her head enough that Sasuke could make out full lips smirking at him maliciously. "I'm not the one you need to worry about."

The younger Uchiha didn't have time to consider her words when he felt a sharp pain in his back. Warm familiar hands grabbing his shoulders was the only thing keeping him from falling. "I told you not to let your guard down, Sasuke," he heard his brother whisper into his ear before the warm hands disappeared and he fell to the ground.

Sasuke looked up, seeing his brother's unemotional, red eyes staring back at him. His vision blurred. He was losing consciousness fast.

"You made a mess outside, Itachi. You're lucky no one saw them before me."

"I only had five minutes to get rid of them. Sasuke would have noticed my disappearance if I had taken any longer. Hiding the bodies would have taken time."

"I suppose it would have," she agreed, walking to the man's side.

"You know what you have to do now right?"

Itachi didn't respond before he finally said in a quiet voice. "Yes."

He couldn't see his brother's face, his vision failing and turning dark, and the voices sounded too distant as Sasuke finally slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Naruto cursed, looking at another dead body in the hallway of the Hokage's mansion. It was like half of the ANBU ninja suddenly went crazy and started killing and destroying the village before offing themselves. It had been a bloodbath as he was either forced to subdue his comrades or worse yet, watch them kill themselves. Ayumi still wasn't conscious, and he could not get in contact with the guards that were supposed to be guarding Itachi. He was getting worried.

Carefully stepping over his comrade's body, he signaled for the medic team to go ahead and take care of the corpse. "Temari, take over for me. I have to check on some things."

"Hai, Uzumaki-taichou."

Naruto paused for a moment to watch the blonde kunoichi bark orders. That was the first time she had ever addressed him so formally.

Taking off his mask, he headed towards the exit only to be stopped by Shikamaru. "Whatever it is, it will have to wait. I need to check up on Sasuke," Naruot didn't even spare him a glance as he tried to pass.

"It's about Sasuke."

That made the blond stop and pay attention. At Shikamaru's serious expression, all color drained from Naruto's face.

"No."

"Calm down, he's not dead." For some reason Naruto heard a yet in that sentence. "More importantly, all of Itachi's guards were found dead around the complex, and Itachi is missing."

Naruto relaxed a bit knowing Sasuke was still alive though very irritated that Shikamaru was vague on the topic of Sasuke. It was concerning because it could mean that Shikamaru thought the truth would distract him from his duties or it wasn't that bad and this was truly more important. Worse yet, he should not ask for clarification. He should trust Shikamaru's judgement for now in what information he decided to give him.

Forcing back his curiosity, he hardened himself to focus at the task at hand. His subordinates didn't deserve a captain not giving his all. That was how people ended up dead. "How did they die?"

"It wasn't a frontal attack like it was with you. They were stealth attacks. All of them were killed from behind and didn't know until it was too late. The only thing found was this," Shikamaru lifted a bloodied sword. "It was found discarded next to a guard. Presumably that guard was the last one killed before the weapon was discarded."

Naruto recognized the weapon. It belonged to Sasuke. It was his practice sword he used for training. Not as sharp as the one he used on missions and a bit worn, but in the hands of an expert, it was just as deadly as any other weapon. "Any clues about Itachi's whereabouts?"

"No. There was no sign of a struggle. Sasuke was also caught off guard and rendered unconscious. "

Naruto bit his lip to keep himself from asking. "So the enemy probably took him. Have anyone available on the lookout for him. I want the gates sealed off. No one goes in or out."

Shikamaru nodded ready to relay the news to Ino so she could tell the others when the entire building rattled and a thundering crash sounded from outside. Naruto maintained his balance, while the other shinobi grabbed the wall for support.

"What the hell was that?"

As if on cue, a lower ranked shinobi, a chunin from the look of it, was running towards them. "Naruto-san, outside, hurry!"

"Shikamaru, relay my orders to the others," he commanded. "Sakura! Konohamaru! With me," he yelled upon seeing them enter the building.

He didn't bother to see if they were following. He could feel them fall in line behind him. Upon leaving the building, he activated his senjutsu. He could feel Sasuke's chakra even though it was weakened so at least he was alive if not in perfect health. The other thing he caught was the chakra signature coming from the mountain where the commotion was coming from.

His steps faltered for a split second before hurrying his pace. Now he understood what had happened at the Uchiha mansion.

He stopped at the foot of the mountain. A large hole had been made, rocks and debris crushing the buildings nearby, exposing the inner shelter and hidden archives inside it. Blocking the entrance was Itachi's susano'o, and Itachi staring back at them covered in shinobi blood.


	21. Follow the Lead

Naruto silently cursed as he took in Itachi standing before them. This was not good. Itachi was on par with Nagato's abilities on a good day, and if Sasuke finds out or has already found out about Itachi's betrayal, that was going to be a whole other shit storm they really didn't have time for.

"Konohamaru, don't look into his eyes. Keep your gaze below his shoulders."

"Right, Nii-chan," he heard the younger man say, much to Naruto's relief.

Beside him, he could practically feel the kunoichi's temper radiating off of her in waves, but she too kept her eyes down, having faced the Uchiha once before.

Naruto did not bother keeping his eyes away from Itachi's. It was too late anyway since he made eye contact the moment he saw Itachi emerge. Besides, he didn't want to look away. He wanted to know why. Why would Itachi do this?

But there was something else. As Naruto looked upon the Uchiha he noticed two things. The warm caring face he had come to know had vanished, replaced with a blank gaze and bored features. The second thing was the chakra he was emitting. Something was strange, just a bit off for him to think so, but unable to pinpoint what exactly.

"Itachi-niisan, you wouldn't just so happen want to put down the box you are carrying and want to surrender yourself peacefully would you?" Naruto asked, trying to go for an easy smile as his eyes remained hard.

Itachi stared at him with those cold eyes then without a word, turned his back on them, walking away.

Naruto was only able to take a step when shinobi, a mixture of ANBU, jounin, and chunin, got in his way.

Naruto's body reacted; moving to the side as Konohamaru ran forward, rasengan in hand, connecting with an ANBU member's body. The attack sent the man flying back, knocking down others in the process. Sakura was already in the hole created by the attack, striking the ground with her fist. The ground split, making the rest lose their balance, creating a clear path.

Naruto was already running through the path they made him, silently thanking his companions. Hopefully, Sakura and Konohamaru could incapacitate or hold them off until help arrived. There was only one problem. In the split half a second it took to make a path to Itachi, Itachi himself had gone. All traces of his chakra signature gone. How was that even possible? It was like trying to find the spy, it simply did not exist. He searched the nearby areas, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, hoping to catch a glimpse of anything out of the ordinary. He had no luck.

Cursing, he turned around to help his comrades, but it was unneeded. Sai had shown up with backup, subduing everyone not already incapacitated using a few members of the Nara clan. "Sai!" He called out, briefly frowning at how easy it was to bring down some of the ANBU members. Granted in this case it was a good thing, but that wasn't going to stop them from going back to training camp when this was all over.

Sai looked up. He looked tired. Given he had been on a mission by himself, it wasn't a surprise. Especially with the time restraints Naruto had given him. Naruto felt a little bad for working the guy into the ground. Only a little.

"Take them all to separate holding cells and make sure they are properly restrained," Naruto barked at the shinobi, and motioned for Sai to follow him. "Anyone not doing anything, keep an eye out for anything remotely suspicious and immediately report it to me."

Naruto turned on his heel, Sakura and Sai following him while Konohamaru scrambled to put together a team to search for Itachi. Sometimes he just loved his team and how in sync they were with him. It was proof of their many missions and training sessions together, and less talking for him right now the better. His mind was in overdrive and trying to piece together information with little to no information while trying not to think about Sasuke's condition or Itachi's betrayal.

Naruto headed towards the Hokage building with his team following him. At some point Shikamaru joined them, informing him of the state of the village. For the most part, about 100 shinobi of all rankings, minus genin, had suddenly become violent, attacking specific people and buildings and attacking whoever stood in their way. Forty took their own life once they had succeeded and twenty had been killed resisting.

Naruto clenched his fists tightly though his face remained neutral. Steadily, he told Shikamaru to find out what exactly was stolen from the hidden room and announce that there would be a meeting in the Hokage's office in five minutes.

Nara nodded and left to fulfill the orders given to him. Sakura left to help the medic nins. He didn't stop her. He knew her place was with them, and they needed help to try to figure out why the survivors had gone bat shit crazy.

Naruto opened the door to the room, expecting to see Tsunade barking orders or pouring over reports. Instead he saw Sasuke, sitting in her chair looking surprisingly calm which made Naruto more weary than relieved.

The blonde eyed the lack of shirt and thick bandages around his chest. "Not too bad?" he asked.

"Nothing important was severely damaged. I'll be fine," Sasuke said, still eerily calm. It was Sasuke right? Did he know what Itachi did?

"Did Itachi escape?" the raven asked. So much for him not knowing.

"Yeah. I'm sorry…I couldn't stop him."

Sasuke shook his head. "Don't. I'm not a kid. I can handle it."

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke rose with a bit of effort. "Don't Naruto…please."

Naruto went to his side, wrapping his arms around his waist and assisting him. Sasuke didn't even fight him. Okay, now Naruto was downright worried. "I'm glad you're okay," he offered, kissing his cheek, hoping to get some reaction out of the raven. "You should be resting though, teme."

Sasuke only looked Naruto straight in the eye. "I want to go after him with you."

Of course he did, and of course the answer was going to be, "Absolutely not. You're in no condition to be trying to get revenge."

"I don't want revenge, dobe," he growled. "I just want to talk to him. Nothing more."

The embrace around Sasuke disappeared, and the blonde looked downright pissed. "And you think I'm going to believe that! The last time you went after Itachi you nearly killed me! We lost you, Sasuke!"

"And do you think telling me no will stop me?" He said coldly. "I'm asking you this time. I want you to come with me, and I only want to talk. "

There was a point in the Uchiha's statement. Nothing would stop him from going and at least he asked Naruto to come with him. Dark eyes bore into blue, silently pleading. Sasuke was his everything. Always had been. "Promise me that if I let you do this…" he hesitated. "…Promise me you won't leave me behind."

Naruto had kept his gaze down, hoping and praying Sasuke would change his mind until he felt the slender calloused hand reach out and caress his cheek. "I only want to talk to him," he said again. "And I promise."

He leaned into the touch. How he wished to kiss him right now to make love to him again, anything to reassure himself that Sasuke wasn't going to leave him again. "You can come. Just take it easy, ne?"

Sasuke nodded, and he pulled away. Just in time for the others to come in. It was too soon. Naruto still needed to ask what Sasuke wanted to talk about, and why he wasn't angrier. Chances were he would never get the opportunity. Once they had a plan, they were going to execute it. They couldn't afford to wait.

The people who entered the room were Ginta, Shikamaru, and Sai. Naruto took his place behind the Hokage's desk, feeling strangely powerful doing so. It felt more real, that he was in charge of the investigation, and the three that stood before him were his subordinates, and Sasuke just behind and off to his right acting as his second in command. The only reason he sat down at the desk was because he would need the hard surface, and yet it made such a difference.

"Tell me you guys got something."

Sai came forward first, placing a file in front of him. Naruto shifted through the papers looking at the various pictures and notes.

"I checked all of Orochimaru's hideouts and a few of Kabuto's in the region. There are some files missing as you had suggested. I managed to track down Karin to help me figure out which files he took." Naruto read over exactly which files were stolen and cursed under his breath. He glanced over to Sasuke to see if Sasuke was reading over his shoulders.

Sasuke had indeed read over the paper he was holding, but again he gave nothing away that he was surprised or angry as if the news wasn't surprising to him.

"Alright, this is starting to make a bit more sense," Naruto closed the folder. "What did they take from that hidden room?"

Ginta stepped forward, adjusting his glasses. He spoke, his voice so quiet and low, Naruto had to strain to hear him. "Itachi took a box said to contain pain and death. About fourteen years ago, Konoha sent a small ANBU team to retrieve the box from a tiny village. The village had wished to use the power against Konoha, saying that the gods bestowed this power to them, and it was their right to use the power any way they wished. They had planned to use the power to wipe out the larger villages. The box was retrieved before they could use that power obviously."

"What happened to the village?" Naruto asked already knowing the answer.

"They were wiped out by the unit," Ginta replied. "Don't ask stupid questions," he added in an even quieter voice.

"Who was on that team? Bring them here."

Ginta glared at the blond. "We can't. I would have brought them here if we could have."

Naruto ignored the glare and was silently fuming. "Why not?!"

"Two of the members on that unit died from an unknown disease several years later. Both with the same symptoms, chronic cough, blood in the phlegm, fever, fatigue, and chest pain. The infection eroded the pulmonary artery. The third member was Itachi," Shikamaru interrupted, not in the mood for pointless arguing.

"Oh?...Oh!" Now everything fit. That's why they needed the Uchiha. "How come Itachi wasn't infected?"

"I think he was," Sasuke spoke up. "Madara had told me my brother was ill and taking heavy medication to keep himself alive and moving and should have died three years prior. He coughed up a lot of blood during our last fight too."

"So chances are there's some sort of virus or something inside the box," Naruto concluded.

"The box was never opened," Shikamaru reminded him. Any Konoha shinobi who had handled the box died. It's why it was sealed in the hidden archive. Only Itachi and possibly the Hokage would have known where the room was. The previous item before that box that was stored there was during the second's early reign over 50 years ago. There's not even a guarantee Tsunade knows about that room if the Sandaime never told anyone."

"Making Itachi the safest bet," he murmured. "We still need to track them down."

_You're just in luck Naruto. Shino came through._

Naruto started at Ino's voice in his head, not expecting it in the slightest. **Why?**

_Shino just happened to be in the right place at the right time and one of his bugs saw Itachi and a hooded person leaving the village. He placed a tracker bug on him. The recon unit is waiting for you at the gate._

One thing that had gone right for once. Still, he was unsure of what he was going to do. There was still that unknown jutsu turning people against each other, but they had no choice if they were going to catch them. Any moment now the tracker could get out of range or discovered.

"Sasuke?" he turned to his partner.

"I can run," he stated.

"Good. You're going to need to when Tsuande or Sakura find out your ditching the hospital again and going back into the field," Naruto laughed.

Sasuke only lifted and eyebrow. "And you don't think they'll come after you for letting me."

It was amusing how pale Naruto turned at that realization. "You owe me, Uchiha."

"I might be able to make it up to you," he murmured, cheeks flushed red.

The look on Naruto's face was one of confusion until he finally seemed to get the insinuation and a smirk replaced it. "Is that so teme," he said with a perverted grin.

"As glad as we all are that you two finally got together, you need to get going." Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"Right," he sighed. "Come on, teme. We have work to do."

* * *

Kiba was waiting for them at the gate, already riding Akamaru. "About time you two showed up. Shino had to go on ahead, so we didn't lose them."

"Sorry about that. Where's Hinata?"

The brunette shrugged. "Followed Shino as backup." He paused then sniffed the air. Scowling, he turned to the Uchiha. "Hell no."

"I'm coming," Sasuke glared.

Kiba glared back. "Naruto, talk some sense into your boy toy."

"Want to call me that again, Inuzuka?" Sasuke growled.

"Kiba, I know about it, but Sasuke isn't going to fight. He promised to just observe," Naruto sighed when Kiba burst out laughing. This was turning out to be a long night. It was hard to believe just earlier that evening he and Sasuke were on their first date. "Shut up."

"Right, the Uchiha sitting out, good one," he said in between fits of laughter.

This time, both Naruto and Sasuke were glaring. Eventually Kiba's laughter subsided. "Wait, you seriously believe that?"

"Get a move on, Kiba," the captain snapped.

"I'm going, I'm going." Kiba grumbled.

They set off at a brisk pace, trying to make up ground and at the very least catch up with Shino. They stuck to the tree tops, careful not to make a sound as they followed. Naruto never undid his senjutsu from before, just in case Itachi came back on his radar. He didn't feel Itachi until about an hour in their travels. Naruto turned to inform the others to go faster but stopped.

Sasuke was breathing heavily, hiding the pain but not the pale tone his skin had turned to. Naruto slowed their pace. Sasuke didn't even have the energy to argue about it. Kiba had given him a look that said, "I told you so," which Naruto ignored. He was not letting Sasuke go off on his own.

Besides, Itachi's signature had stopped moving, and Shino was just up ahead. It was somewhat reassuring. It was most likely their base of operations as they wouldn't stop for a break so soon and two hours outside of Konoha was far enough that the casual passerby wouldn't stumble upon it.

Shino was waiting, eying Sasuke but not saying anything about it. "They are up ahead in the cave. Hinata has searched the perimeter. There seems to be no other exits."

"Great work Shino. Call Hinata back so we can make a plan."

"I-I'm here, Naruto," she whispered, jumping down from a tree. "There is a strong barrier at the entrance."

"Anyway to get through it."

She hesitated, fidgeting. "Only two can enter at the same time it seems. Once two more enter, the barrier will completely close, locking them inside. We aren't skilled enough to break it on our own."

"That would be a problem," the blonde agreed. Should they go in or get someone to help break the barrier. And if they go in, who should go in with him? Sasuke would have to stay behind. That wasn't going to be fun. The raven was compliant now, but he doubted he'd continue to be so if left behind.

"Sasuke what do you think you're doing?!" Kiba's yell brought Naruto out of his thoughts and looked at the direction Kiba was staring at. Sasuke was standing just behind the cave inside the barrier, with a smug smirk. Damn, Naruto had become so comfortable with Sasuke's presence he hadn't bother to keep track of his position despite knowing he might try something like that. Sasuke was fast when he wanted to be and only Naruto could keep up. The speed did seem to backfire against the raven somewhat. Sasuke's shirt was starting to stain red from the quick movements it took to get there before anyone could stop him.

"Kiba, shut the fuck up," Naruto snapped. They were in enemy territory. Sometimes, the brunette was clueless, kind of how he used to be actually.

"Here's what we're going to do. Kiba, head back and bring in a team to break the barrier. Hinata and Shino will keep watch and be back up if possible. I'm going in before the teme gets himself killed. And that's an order," he added, when they looked about to protest.

They all nodded and scattered, leaving Naruto to walk through the barrier.

"You're an asshole. You know that right." He said, glaring at the raven as he approached.

"You would have left me behind otherwise. I'd rather not kill you when we just started dating." Sasuke stepped back to allow him room to walk through. The entrance was small and only big enough for one person at a time.

Naruto walked though what felt like a membrane of a bubble. The moment he passed through, he sensed the barrier solidify, locking them inside. "You could have jeopardized the mission."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Like you haven't done that before."

"I was twelve!"

"Our last mission, you entered the girls portion of the hot spring and drew attention to yourself letting the enemy know we were there."

Oh yeah. He had forgotten about that. "It was an accident. You did this on purpose."

"Either way, we're here now, and they probably know we're here. Let's hurry and start walking." Sasuke was already heading down the path not waiting for his boyfriend to join him.

Naruto grumbled, following and pouting as he did, kicking at small stones. Sasuke was such a bastard. Why the hell did he love him again?

"Keep sharp, usuratonkachi." Sasuke jabbed at him.

"Bastard. Worry about yourself."

"I intend too."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him, hurrying to his side. After all, who knew what bad things awaited them at the end of the path.


	22. Love

Sasuke jolted up in his bed, panting heavily. He brought his hand up to his face, wiping the sleep and cold sweat away. Another dream about him. About that night. Three months, and he was still not used to the dreams. He did not think that he ever would be.

Getting out of bed, he went through his normal morning rituals. There was no point in trying to go back to sleep now. He never could. The guilt was almost too much. If he left early enough he might be able to stop by to see Naruto. It … helped after having nights like these.

Sasuke grabbed his keys, pausing to look at the pictures placed on the hall table. Naruto's bright blue eyes radiated as he smiled at him, and his brother's warm gaze calmed his nerves. "I'm stopping by today, Nii-san. Wish me luck."

What he wouldn't give to have his brother's advice. The days had been unbearable lately. He thought of the kunai he kept on him and disregarded the idea. He was the last of his clan, he couldn't repeat his mistakes.

Locking the front door, he made his way into the village. He hated going into the village. He preferred living on the outskirts of Konoha territory. While the apartment was small and modest compared to what he used to live in, no one bothered him there besides the occasional trouble making genin. He could live with that. It was better than the alternatives. The only downside was that he was never able to see Naruto as often as he would like, even if it was from a distance.

He had just passed through the gates when Izumo and Kotetsu stopped him at the gate, looking down at him with cold eyes full of hatred. "State your business, Uchiha."

Sasuke growled, sending them a glare of his own. "Do we have to do this every time?"

"State your business," Izumo stated again, drawing a kunai.

His scowl deepening, he murmured, "I'm here to do some shopping, to stop by my parents' graves . . . and to see Naruto."

"Like Naruto would want to see you," Kotetsu muttered. "You know the drill, you are not allowed anywhere without an ANBU escort."

"I don't need an escort," he snapped.

The guards seemed like they could care less as one left to summon an ANBU member, whom he'd never see, to watch him as he did his business. It was something he was never able to get used to, and often made him wonder why he bothered to come back at all. It wasn't like he was a threat the way he was now.

When he received the go ahead, he didn't hesitate to hurry past them and get his business taken care of. Somewhere there was an ANBU watching him, but he was never able to determine who he was or where he was. That wasn't his life anymore anyway. The sooner he accepted that the better.

As usual, people steered clear of him, ushering children out of his way or suddenly closing down shop. As much of an inconvenience it usually was when he was trying to buy food or clothing, today it didn't matter so much for where he was going. Often he pondered whether this was what Naruto had felt growing up. It was a different kind of pain than what he had grown up with. It was more subtle and easier to hide, but no less real and painful.

He entered the flower shop, spotting Ino behind the counter. He watched the smile drop and the words become lost from her lips when she spotted him. Her eyes were uncertain and never made eye contact with him, but at least she never denied him service. "The usual, Sasuke-kun?" Her tone was a forced politeness and her speech slightly clipped as if she didn't know how to handle him.

"Yeah."

He watched her go to the fridge and pull out a fresh bouquet of lilies. She always seemed to have one ready for him. While it was concerning that she expected his visit so often that she had the bouquet ready, it was beneficial for him because he didn't have to wait for her to create it in the first place. The sooner he was in and out of the village the better.

He took the bouquet from her, paying her with the amount plus a bit of excess as a tip, and just as quickly left, trying to ignore the way she relaxed at his departure. He was used to this, he told himself. This didn't bother him.

Sasuke was so focused on his route, he didn't notice the kunai, with an invisible wire attached, shoot out until it was too late. He tripped, dropping the flowers into the mud and unable to stop himself from falling. He was about to catch himself when shuriken flew by, forcing him to the ground and consequentially into the mud.

"Go back home, traitor! Get out of here!" It was a genin from the academy. More and more were becoming braver since they were realizing he didn't fight back and therefore didn't have any repercussions for their behavior.

"Yeah! Go back home!" A particularly brave villager called out.

"Leave us alone!" Another cried.

Sasuke took out the kunai he carried on him and cut himself free, ignoring the rising taunts and curses thrown at him from all directions. As he reached out to pick up the flowers, a cart ran them over, crushing and scattering the petals all over the dirt road. He tried not to let his irritation show, keeping his face perfectly blank despite the crushing sadness he was feeling over the bouquet. With as much dignity he could muster, he picked himself off the ground and searched through the flowers that were at least partially presentable. Out of twenty, five survived.

Anger swelled in his chest at the sight of the five mangled flower but kept it bottled up. There was nothing he could do about it. Chances are if he went to buy another set of flowers, they too would be destroyed. He should be happy at least some of them survived this time. There had been times when he had to grovel without any.

As the crowd around him became more rowdy, eying rocks and other deadly objects nearby, Sasuke walked briskly to get away from it. He had one more stop before he could see Naruto. Waiting for him outside Ichiraku's, was a metal ramen delivery carrier that had his pork miso ramen he had ordered. At least one thing had gone right. Unfortunately, he hadn't expected Sakura to be standing by the ramen stand as well.

He hoped she hadn't see him, but today was turning into a fairly bad day. He had been trying to avoid her. Deciding it was better to pick up his order and leave, he walked straight over, head high with pride and dignity he did not have. Sakura watched him. "I didn't expect to see you here today."

"You don't have to force yourself to talk to me," Sasuke picked up his item.

"Might as well talk to me. I haven't seen you since… I think you owe me that much." Sakura's voice was cold. Sasuke missed the annoying happy and clinging Sakura from when they were children.

"If I wait, the noodles will bloat. I got errands to run." Sasuke's own voice was clipped and he didn't bother hiding the irritation.

"You disgrace him showing up, you know. He doesn't want to see you."

"You don't know that," he glared.

"After what you did to him, why would he? Going to beg for forgiveness will not change anything."

Sasuke felt his chest tighten. He knew nothing would ever change, and it was his fault.

"Why do you even stick around Konoha? You can't fight anymore and even if you could, you would never be accepted as a ninja again and no one wants you here. We gave up on you a long time ago. Now that you've come back after ruining everything, do you think we can forgive you?"

"I have to go," Sasuke's voice cracked. He couldn't lose it here.

He turned to leave, but Sakura spoke up to make sure he heard. "He loved you, you know. He didn't give up on you and now look. If he accepts your offering, then I feel sorry for him. He deserved better."

Sasuke left before he could regret anything. He felt like he couldn't breathe. His chest was so tight that his vision almost blacked out as he headed to his last destination. At this time of day, he could go say his prayers to his parents in peace before seeing Naruto.

The Uchiha, like the old compound, had their graves towards the back and separated from the rest of Konoha shinobi. Perhaps it was fitting. The Uchiha died together, isolated from their village as they had been in life. No one went to that section of the graveyard so he could kneel before them and give a quick silent prayer. He would wash their gravestones the next time he came during the anniversary of their death. He went to an unmarked gravestone, also giving it a quick prayer, apologizing to his brother for not stopping by sooner and promising to do better if he had the time and patience.

He made his way through the graveyard after that, stopping in front of a large monument, shaped like a flame. He was surprised there was no one nearby, but he took the opportunity. He took out the ramen from the carrier and placed it at the foot of the monument along with the flowers.

"I know you don't want to see me, but it's hard to stay away when you keep haunting my dreams all the time. You never could leave me alone." A weary smile pulled at Sasuke's lips as he sat down before the statue. "I got your favorite, so you can't complain."

Sasuke lazily looked up into the sky. "I finally got used to living without chakra. For the first time yesterday, I didn't even think about trying to use it. My new job isn't too bad either. The farmer doesn't know about me, so he lets me work there without asking too many questions…"

Sasuke looked down at the plaque where his offerings sat on either side, taking in the name carved there. "I dreamt of our fight again. You get your revenge yet or do you plan to make me relive my mistake over and over again?"

His fingers brushed over the name. "I don't know why I bother staying near the village anymore. There's nothing for me here. The only reason I stayed was because it was what you wanted. It's the only reason they let me stay near, but I don't know how much longer I can put up with all their bullshit. While I'm still decent at taijutsu, I'm not Lee, nor do I ever want to be with his stupid haircut and spandex. I guess I should be flattered that they put a guard on me because of it." He chuckled.

"I was an avenger, but there's nothing for me to avenge. I'm not a Konoha shinobi either…what is there left for me here? Can you answer that dobe?"

Sasuke paused, staring at the monument before shaking his head. He supposed that he couldn't receive an answer given the circumstances. He wanted to leave, but then he wouldn't be able to come here. The only thing that kept him here, kept him going.

Somedays…he just wanted it all to end. He had thought he was alone before, when he was a child and obsessed with revenge. He thought no one was there for him. Now he knew how wrong he was. This was what it felt like to be shunned by everyone and not have a leg to stand on.

"How did you do it, Dobe? How did you put up with everyone's bullshit?" How did he put up with the crushing loneliness was the real question, but he would never be able to ask that aloud. "I'm so sorry, Naruto," he whispered, his eyes tearing. He tried to stop it. He never cried when he came. Naruto wouldn't have wanted his tears, but they proved persistent, and it was quickly a losing battle. "If you didn't try to stop me…if I had come to my senses sooner… you'd still be here."

The wind blew through his hair, feeling almost like a gentle caress. Was that Naruto's way of reassuring him?

"Uchiha, you shouldn't be here."

The cold and sharp voice directed towards him cut through him like a knife, but he didn't show it as he stood, looking as impassive as ever despite the tears. Pride was the only thing he had left. "And you think you are able to tell me where I can and cannot be?" he responded turning.

Gaara glared at him. In his hands, he held a beautiful bouquet of white lilies, in perfect condition unlike his meager offering. The rage that surged through him, tightening and curling in his chest like an aggravated snake ready to strike was barely subdued by the fact that he knew he was right.

"You think so?" he finally said, taking a step closer. "You killed him, Uchiha. You drove your sword straight through his chest, and you believe you have the right to be here? He poured his heart to you which you shunned. He wrote his will knowing he would die when he confronted you, and you did not care. He loved you and defended you until the end, and you threw it back in his face. Naruto was a shell of himself, of what he could have been, because of you. And what would you have done if you hadn't known? If you hadn't realized that he threw the fight so you could get your vengeance, taking all of Konoha's sins onto himself so you could be satisfied, what would you have done?"

Sasuke stood silently. He didn't want to think about it. He knew Gaara was spelling out the events just to throw it in his face to make it hurt more hearing them aloud.

"I can tell you, Uchiha. You would not be here groveling for forgiveness. Your self-righteous vengeance made you so short sighted you couldn't even see someone in front of you. You had no idea what loneliness really was until the one person who stood by you was gone. Do you think we can forgive you for that?"

"I do not beg for anyone's forgiveness," he spoke indifferently. He knew. He did not deserve their forgiveness.

"What exactly do you live for Uchiha?" Gaara stood directly in front of him with inches between them. His green eyes bore into him with hate and loathing. "'I know that when we clash, both of us will die.' Isn't that what Naruto said after you killed Danzo?" He leaned ever closer, his lips next to his ear as he whispered. "So fix your mistake and die like you were supposed to. Isn't that why you carry a kunai on you?"

Sasuke fingered the kunai as Gaara leaned back and walked past him to the grave. Gaara had known. He knew the truth behind the weapon he carried with him. The temptation he could never rid himself of. The ache to join him in the afterlife.

Why don't I join him?

 

Sasuke woke with a start, gasping for air and breathing heavily. His chest was on fire, and it was hard to draw in breath. It felt like something heavy had settled on top his chest and refused to move. His whole body shivered unpleasantly, trying to shake off the remnants of what he saw. Naruto was dead. Naruto was never coming back.

He recalled that he could in fact see and looked around wildly, trying to find his bearings. There were electrical lights embedded into the cave wall, revealing a modest couch and table on the far side of the room. He himself was propped up against a wall, hands bound.

What had happened? He had recalled walking down the path when a wave of fatigue overtook him. He had smelled something sweet, like flowers, when his eyes fought against his will and drifted close. He remembered thinking of calling out to warn his dobe… his dobe…Naruto was alive!

"I see that sleeping beauty has finally awakened," the hooded figure stepped into the room. From where, Sasuke could not see. His head was pounding, threatening to split apart. It was hard to shake off the dream. Naruto was alive, but the dream was so real, so convincing. Even now he could not stop thinking about his question.

Why don't I join him?

"I feel sorry for you. Naruto is a horrible person, isn't he?" The voice was airy and lifting, like a light in the darkness.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he settled on, not wanting to give out too much until he had a better idea of what she really knew.

"Naruto, he took advantage of you. No matter what he does to you, rape you, blackmail you, you could never do anything about it, and he knows it. He forced you to think you love him." She sounded legitimately sad for him.

"I do love him."

"Do you?" She asked. "Or are you afraid? If Naruto was to leave you, you would have been alone. It was Naruto who kept your friends with you, kept you from being isolated from everyone. You were scared that if he left you, you'd have no one left. You cling onto him so desperately that you threw all his transgressions out the window. As long as he stayed by your side, you didn't care what he did to you. An abusive relationship really, making you so dependent on him. He's not a good man."

That…was true wasn't it? He had forgiven Naruto so easily. He always had. Was it the fear of being left alone that drove him to seek a relationship with him?

His silence seemed to satisfy the stranger. "You can't blame him for his actions though. This messed up world that shunned him as well and made him not able to control himself. Perhaps you both were meant to parish after that final battle. Both of you would have found peace then in the afterlife. Maybe you could have truly fallen in love in your next lives."

Perhaps they could have been. A world without killing, a world without death.

"In this world however, he is the source of your unhappiness." Her voice turned dark, the warmth gone and the harshness made him shiver. "He was the one who brought you back and took away your purpose. He was the one who wouldn't let you live in peace. Instead, everyday you're forced to think of the sins you committed and live with the scorn you receive. He's the one who forced himself on you and manipulated you! He is the source of your pain!"

Naruto was the source of his misery. If he killed him like he had intended then joined him, perhaps they could be together for real or maybe they could just stay friends. Their next life could be better.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, don't suffer anymore." The hooded figure knelt in front of him, its soft hand caressing his face as if he were a young child. Its voice was back to being gentle and lifting. "You have suffered enough. Purge the source of your misery. Be happy again."

Sasuke looked up weakly. Naruto was to blame for everything. No more suffering. No more pain.

No more bright eyes or mischievous smiles. No more uplifting laughter and warm embrace. No more love.

Sasuke's mind cleared, no longer foggy and pounding. Naruto was not the source of his misery. He forgave Naruto because he loved him. He suffered because of his own mistakes. Naruto was his light. The sun he could never touch.

He struggled not to change his groggy expression and peered at the face beneath the hood. "You're right, Yuri," he looked away. "It's his fault. I… I can't do it anymore."

"Yes, Sasuke-kun, it is. Naruto-kun has escaped for now, but he'll be back for you. Can I trust you to do what needs to be done?" The woman smiled gently at him as a mother would to her child.

The raven nodded his head.

"Good boy," she praised, unbinding him.

Slowly, Sasuke rubbed his wrists. He was too weak to take her. His whole body still felt like lead. Whatever she gave him or did to him still seemed to be in effect. He could do little more than talk. Well he did say he only wanted to talk and that he wouldn't fight, but he didn't intend to become a hostage at the time either.

"Now wait here for him. I have something that needs my attention."

Sasuke again nodded, unable to do much else. It seemed to be enough for her as she slid out the room. Now how was he supposed to find Itachi when he couldn't even move?

Luck seemed to have smiled down on him as Itachi entered the room. The man seemed to actually hesitate upon seeing him, before coming fully into the room and closing the door behind him. No doubt Yuri had sent him to guard him. After all, you never underestimate the enemy even if you think they're brainwashed.

Itachi took vigilance in a corner of the room, not directly looking at him but still alert. Sasuke watched him move about, not saying a word, assessing with calm eyes.

After the second minute of silence, Sasuke decided to put his plan to the test. His breathing became strained, his body shuttering as he tried to take another breath, but couldn't. He wheezed, too weak to adjust his position to make it easier on himself.

That was until he felt warm hands on his biceps pulling him into a better upright position hastily. Sasuke glanced at the look in the older man's face. Worry and Guilt.

"So you do care," Sasuke smirked, ceasing his performance.

Itachi let go of him so fast, Sasuke almost tipped over. He took his post in the corner of the room.

"It's a bit late to play indifferent nii-san. You didn't kill me when you had the chance and now this. I'm not a child. I can read between the lines." Sasuke sounded smug, triumphant even.

"Don't call me that," he whispered closing his eyes. "I am not who you think I am."

Sasuke's face sobered then sadness flickered across the dark orbs. "I know. You aren't Itachi, are you?"

The words made the man flinch as if Sasuke had physically struck him. "How do you know?"

Sasuke's gaze wandered to the floor. "I think I always knew. Just small things. Using your left hand a bit too often, your skill with a knife not quite up to par. They made you look like him, sound like him, and even gave you his memories and went so far as to take a pair of Uchiha eyes and simulate my brother's blood to run through your veins…but your body knows you are not physically him."

Silence flowed between them and finally he spoke. "If you know… why do you still treat me as your nii-san?"

Sasuke managed a slight shrug. "Do you remember anything from before? A name?"

The older man shook his head. "I have remnants of muscle memory occasionally, but no memories besides Itachi's. I…do not have a name."

The pure agony behind the man's eyes was hard to look at, but Sasuke kept his gaze. "Who do you want to be?"

The man broke eye contact unable to take in the face of his younger brother. "I…I want… I want what Itachi had. I am Itachi, but I'm not. Everything inside me screams that I am this man. I want to be that man, a man who loved his brother so much he went against orders against the village he vowed to serve. Who is loved by you and thinks of Naruto as another little brother to take care of. It is who I want to be."

Sasuke tilted his head trying to reposition himself. "Then you're Itachi. Plain and simple. No use over thinking it."

Itachi shot his head up in complete surprise. "You…do not want me to stop posing as him?"

Sasuke gave up trying to readjust and kept his eyes down. "It hurt at first realizing you weren't really him, but you really believed it and your personality, the way you spoke and acted, it was him. Then Naruto coming to live with us and the arguments…it was the family I had longed for since you…Itachi left. I didn't want to give it up, so I stayed quiet. Everyone already expected you were a clone or something so telling them what I thought wouldn't have changed anything.

But if you truly believe your Itachi and want to be him, I'm sure my real nii-san wouldn't mind. He was obnoxiously kind that way. Plus it would let him kind of be there for me, dead or not, and you know how overprotective the bastard is."

Itachi's face closed off, fighting an internal struggle, uncertainty in his eyes. "I would be honored to continue to be your nii-san," he finally said. "But I cannot release you. The medication she had given me makes me follow her commands. I am unable to help you."

"What was in the medication?"

Itachi closed his eyes trying to remember. "There were two…the blue restored Itachi's… my memories. She needed the information on the box's location, and I was the only one who knew of its whereabouts. The red kept her command over me, giving me suggestions. I was unaware of the suggestions until she wished for me to remember the truth. My escape, betting Naruto wouldn't kill me, it was planned out."

"Meanwhile, she had a sleeper agent able to give her intel on Naruto and I when she wanted, and Ayumi was able to transform into anyone and take their memories as well," Sasuke muttered. "Why did she pretend to try to kill me and Naruto?"

"It was a distraction to keep your attention off me. She had me give her information while you were distracted. I was unable to recall afterwards, but as she was my designated physician, no one would question her presence."

"Why didn't she just kill me and the dobe when she had the chance previously?"

"Naruto and you were the only ones keeping me from being killed or imprisoned. I could move around more freely with you both alive than with both of you dead. I was supposed to have kill you when I betrayed you."

Sasuke snorted. "You didn't betray me idiot. Not when it was against your will. Stupid bitch brainwashes people."

Itachi walked to his side and helped him readjust so not as much weight was on his wound. Sadly, Sasuke didn't have to do much to make it seem like he had trouble breathing earlier. He was pretty damn close to that state. He did his best to hide it from Itachi not wishing for him to feel guiltier than he already did.

"You need a doctor. The wound reopened when you fell unconscious."

"Hn, I'll be fine," Sasuke faked his confidence. He was feeling light headed. Itachi stayed by his side as he wondered briefly, where was Naruto?

 

Naruto leaned heavily against the dark cave wall, panting. That had been close, but they were able to take Sasuke while he was weakened. But at least he knew what the unknown jutsu was now. The smell of flowers. While outside in the woods, no one would have taken notice of it, but he did find the scent familiar, smelling it for the second time. He had caught whiff of it just before he met up with the imposter. The entire thing was a genjutsu, and the genjutsu made you feel week and helpless. It was a struggle to keep moving.

It was the only reason he didn't stay with Sasuke. If he ended up incapacitated, then they were both dead. If he escaped, there was a chance they'd leave Sasuke alive to draw him back. They knew he wouldn't leave without him. So he escaped.

Problem was he did not think the weak feeling all over his body would last this long. Kyuubi was having trouble supplying him chakra just to keep him conscious. He had estimated an hour had passed since he escaped. He didn't think he would be able to hide much longer.

It was nearly pitch black, and he was feeling around the walls when his hands grazed a doorknob. Slowly, he opened the door. There were only a few candles in the room, but the light still caused his pupils to constrict painfully. Slipping into the room, he tried to take in the surroundings. There wasn't much just a large cage. As his sight adjusted, he took in the details of the prisoner. Long dark hair that fell almost to her knees that was dirty and matted, a naked body that was pale, bruised, and nothing but skin and bones, and deep violet eyes that looked tired and weary and just barely there.

Naruto looked stunned at seeing the woman, and when she finally realized he stood there, she scurried weakly to the back of the cage, curling upon herself, terrified and broken, cradling her left arm covered in what looked like needle marks.

With exaggerated slowness he lowered himself into a crouch in front of the cage, taking off his armor to remove the black shirt underneath. "It's alright," he spoke gently. "I'm here to help you, Ayumi."

The woman looked up, noting the shirt extended for her to take. Hesitantly, she looked up to peer at the intruder. "Wh-who are you?" Her voice was dry and cracked and broken, nothing like the proud woman he had met in Konoha.

Naruto flipped through what he knew about Ayumi. She had joined ANBU two years ago. She transferred to Konoha a year before that. "Do you know the date of your last mission?"

"Mission?" She repeated as if it was a foreign concept. "Shinobi," she whispered, screwing her eyes shut. "I… I was nineteen. . . I can't remember the date."

Ayumi was 23 now. Fuck, the girl had been here for that long? All men break down eventually and her captives had more than enough time to work on it.

"I'm going to get you out of here. All I can offer is my shirt though," he paused with a slight grin, "and my boxers. I'd give you my pants but kind of need the protection you know?"

Her hands trembled as she took the offered piece of clothing to put on. It hung very loosely on her gaunt frame. Feeling bad for her, he took of his pants and let her have the boxers. Anything was better than nothing.

She took it without word or protest.

Summoning Kyuubi's chakra with much difficulty, he used his nine tails mode to forcibly open the cage. It was all the strength he could muster before the chakra gave out and he lost the form. It was enough for her to slip out of the cage on unsteady legs though. Her thin bony hands held onto Naruto for support, clenched around his arm weakly.

"Do you have any special jutsu?" He asked as they slowly started moving.

She thought about it, though it seemed she could not think and walk at the same time. "I used to be…barriers…create destroy…stole my knowledge…appearance…regret and sadness…"

Her mind was clearly all over the place, and she was getting winded from the journey to the outside of the room, so he stopped moving. "Could you destroy the barrier keeping us in?"

"I…mind flailing…weakness…dark and despair….pain…dark haired man…lonely…need purpose…" She mumbled off, falling deeper inside her mind.

"Hey now," he said gently. "Gotta focus okay? Could you break the barrier?"

The woman shuddered again, her lips were tinged blue as were her fingertips. She was freezing. "I think…I…can."

"Good. I have to get someone. Outside the barrier, my friends are waiting. Tell them Naruto sent you, and they'll help okay?"

"Afraid…Don't want to hurt." Naruto looked at her sadly. He could tell she wanted to cry but was unable to either too dehydrated to produce tears or just had no tears left. Would it have been kinder for this woman with a shattered mind to have been killed with her sanity and dignity than to survive and endure losing everything?

Perhaps it would have been kinder, but it wouldn't have been right. "You can do this. Once you get out, you won't hurt anymore. I promise."

"O… kay… okay." With strength Naruto didn't think she really had, she started moving, using the wall for support towards the exit. She should be okay, Naruto thought. Hopefully he could lead them away from her, so she could make it. Time to make his presence known.

"HEY! BITCH!" He yelled, drawing on the little strength he had. "COME ON OUT AND FACE ME ALREADY!"

He jogged down the cave's path, screaming. "TAKE ME TO SASUKE ALREADY! I KNOW YOU HAVE HIM!"

"Alright already, I heard you. Jeez, you're fucking loud." Yuri stepped out of the shadows with a smug grin.

Naruto stared, stared, and stared some more.

"That surprised?" she smirked.

Naruto face palmed and sighed. "Seriously, it's you? How did I miss that? Stupid, stupid, stupid Naruto."

Yuri's eyes widened a bit at the somewhat casual berating of himself. He didn't seem surprised at all. "You're not surprised?"

"You know after knowing who you are, it makes much more sense now. I mean you practically spelled it out that Ayumi was the bad guy, steering us in that direction, plus you had access to Itachi, and everyone who had gone psycho had been under your care at least once in the past year. The last one didn't stand out cause most of them had been to either Sakura, Ino, or other medics too, but yeah, still makes sense."

Apparently Naruto's casual acceptance to the situation was not what she wanted to hear. She was grinding her teeth. "Are you at least going to ask how I turned your loyal comrades?"

"I'm more curious as to why you did it. Yuri, all you're doing is creating more pain, don't you see that?"

The woman laughed darkly, eying Naruto with distrust. "This is why I hate you Konoha shinobi. You act so self-righteous and so fucking perfect, yet you easily ignore your crimes. Using the Hidden Rain as a war zone and killing their inhabitants, betraying other nations, killing off the Uchiha clan. Yes, I know your nation's dirty little secrets. You know them too, yet you keep pretending they never happened. You are just as bad as any of them. Even worse because you know the truth! Konoha is a disease that needs to be eradicated."

"Yuri, whatever Konoha has done, we will try to make amends," the captain said warmly.

"Make amends? Can you bring back my village that you people destroyed 14 years ago? Can you people take back the fear I endured as I hid and waited for my demise?" She paused long enough for a silence to be noticeable. "No? Then I don't want your amends."

"Yuri," Naruto said again. The weakness was leaving his limbs, but not quite fast enough. "Do you want to be like the people who did this to you? Do you want to kill children or make them feel the same fear and loss you have suffered? This isn't the way."

Yuri arched an eyebrow as if amused. "I had given it the proper amount of thought it deserved," she said lightly and almost carefree. "None. I want to see Konoha and all the larger nations to burn and fester with disease."

"Yuri…"

"Oh, do shut up, Uzumaki. You're a rapist and an abuser to the man you so call love." The comment made Naruto pale and his mouth closed instantly. "And everyone who knows the truth who knows it wasn't some drunken consent that was later regretted by the other party is okay with it. Is that what Konoha has to offer? Their hero, the rapist, and his emotionally abused lover who'd do anything to make sure he didn't have to face loneliness again? Konoha is full of nothing but liars, murderers, and rapists who preach about good and justice."

Naruto couldn't argue back. Did he really emotionally abuse Sasuke? Was the only reason he stood by him was because he rather be abused than be alone? The fear was crippling and tore apart his insides. He felt sick.

He turned to vomit, emptying the contents of his stomach, dry heaving when nothing more would come up.

"See, even you know the truth. So why don't you let me just kill off everyone so we can start over," she smiled sweetly as if she held nothing but love for him, "ne?"


	23. Stay by Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to post the last two chapters together. Why not. On another note, yet another person called me disgusting after I warned in the very beginning that the situation would be treated like a yaoi manga and not real life. It was the cherry on top of my super bad day. You know at this point, I don't think I even care anymore. Read and enjoy, or don't. Though if you've read this far I'm assuming you will.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably against the wall. It was a little easier to breathe, but the dried blood on his shirt was becoming stiff and uncomfortable. Itachi hadn't spoken since their little heart to heart which was fine with him, he wasn't a talker, but he was becoming anxious. Naruto was taking too long. As quick as Naruto was to jump in and save the day (that part hadn't really changed since they entered ANBU, he was just stealthier about it), it had been too long even if he was recuperating.

Sasuke knew why Naruto had left him. He was happy he did. It ensured their survival, even if it probably hurt Naruto's pride to do so. But that hurt pride and the guilt that would come with it would only make Naruto even less impatient, so where was he?

When Itachi spoke, it was sudden and almost caused Sasuke to jump. "I am unsure . . . if Naruto-kun will survive this fight."

Sasuke stopped breathing for a second while he digested Itachi's lack of faith. Then he let out a snort of disbelief. "He may be a dobe, but he's strong. When it comes to the fights that matter, he always wins."

Itachi gazed at him then looked away. There was reluctance in his eyes that he skillfully hid that Sasuke noticed. He also noticed the internal debate flitting through Itachi's eyes. Eventually, the older man turned his stare back at him.

"Yuri's real power isn't the genjutsu or even the box that I took from her people. Her power is her ability to prey on fear and twist and manipulate it. The genjutsu shows what the victim fears most. It also opens the victim to suggestions, playing off what she had seen from the illusion. Even if the genjutsu and weakness caused from it fades, the hyper awareness of those fears remains." He looked pointedly at Sasuke. "The same way you hung on her every word when she tried to persuade you to her cause and almost succeeded."

"If I can get out of it, Naruto won't have a problem," Sasuke said, his teeth grinding.

"Naruto-kun is feeling guilt. Guilt for leaving you behind to save himself, guilt for using you as bait, guilt for betraying your trust multiple times the past few months. Yuri knows it, and she will play on those feelings. She will use it to cripple him, make him vulnerable during the fight or, worse case scenario, surrender to his fate."

Naruto lying dead in his arms covered in blood. The image that had been burned in his psyche returned in clarity as well as the words of Sakura telling him that Naruto wasn't fighting the pull of death. He scowled weakly. "Naruto isn't like that. He's not weak like I am. He wouldn't give up."

Itachi looked down. In a quiet voice he said, "Has Naruto-kun ever wanted revenge? Has he ever harbored doubts in his own abilities? Does he blame himself for things outside of his control?"

The look on Sasuke's face told him the answer to these questions. "Naruto-kun hides his pain well. Unlike us, who hides our pain with emotionless masks and indifference, he hides his under smiles and laughter. In a way, his way is much more effective as no one would think twice about a smile but our indifference makes people waonder why. He's a kind person who would never want to burden others with his problems, especially you, because he cares about you the most."

Itachi pulled himself away from the wall. "It's hard to remember that Naruto-kun is as vulnerable as the rest of us. Maybe even more so. If he's going to survive this, he's going to need you."

Sasuke gave no reply. Itachi was right as usual. His strength was returning, and he estimated another ten to fifteen minutes before he could stand. He just needed Naruto to hold on until then.

* * *

One thing he had always wanted was love.

Growing up alone without anyone to depend on had nearly driven him mad. Desperate for attention, Naruto turned to pranks and acted the part of the class clown to at least turn someone, anyone, his way. It worked most of the time. At least they paid him attention even if they were laughing at him, but in the end, he would still be alone.

When Iruka had first taken over his class and ignored him and all his antics, pretending he didn't exist, he truly wondered if he did. He trained hard, forcing himself past his limits so he could prove himself, prove that he was good at being a ninja and not just a mess up, but he also did it to feel. The pain of bruised flesh and cut skin made him feel alive. He needed the reassurance.

Eventually, Iruka did pay attention to him and cared for him as his precious student, scolding him when he messed up, helping him learn and grow. Those small acts from the teacher solidified his resolve. When he found a person he cared for, he wouldn't let go. He would live through everything, fight anything that threatened his precious family and always survive. He would never allow his family to be hurt because he'd do everything to make sure they were happy and satisfied.

Except he hadn't.

In a moment of weakness, Naruto gave into his impulses, into the feelings of not wanting to be alone, wanting to know what it was like to just be physically connected to the man he loved instead of small flings that would never go anywhere.

He gave in . . . and he had hurt Sasuke. Knowing this, he still had the audacity to pursue him and ask for his love, a love he didn't deserve. He had known Sasuke was struggling for acceptance, that he was the only one that could understand Sasuke's feelings and frustration. He had thought he was being clear that he'd do what was best for Sasuke even if it meant leaving, yet somehow he had still screwed up. He had hoped Sasuke would stop him from leaving. Leaving meant Sasuke would be alone again, and Sasuke was still afraid to be alone and unrestrained, dubious that he could remain on the straight and narrow if Naruto left. He had bullied Sasuke into loving him unintentionally.

Naruto closed his eyes. He didn't know when he had fallen to his knees during his inner replay of events. All he knew was that he had somehow hurt the person he loved the most, and it was eating him alive from the inside out.

Yuri was walking around him, growing nearer towards his unguarded back.

**Gaki, get up! She's closing in! Get up!**

Kyuubi's voice felt distant, like white noise, vaguely aware that something was being said, but not really focusing on the specifics. He was trying to work through his frantic, chaotic thoughts. Trying to figure out what he was going to do.

Years of mission paid off as his body moved before his mind even registered. It was late, the knife missing his heart, but still grazing his side as he back flipped away from the flying weapon.

Yuri laughed as she put another kunai in her hand. "You're still fighting, Naruto? Why?" Yuri smiled darkly. "You have so much to atone for."

Naruto shook his head violently, trying to ignore her words. He knew she was trying to mess with him. He knew, but he couldn't stop himself from listening to her words.

"You allowed Ayumi to be tortured, knowing something was off. You allowed a criminal who had killed his entire clan and many others by joining a mercenary group to live with you and protected him, allowing him to get out of the death penalty to atone for his crimes. How good are you really when you bend the rules when you want too?"

Naruto's hands shook even though his strength had long returned to him. He felt his eyes stinging with tears. As another kunai flew past, he again dodged belatedly, the blade cutting deep into his forearm.

"How many people died for you during the war, fighting your battle? How many times did you think of getting revenge against your own village, against the men who had take Sasuke away? Who had taken Jiraiya away? How many dark thoughts have flitted through your mind?" Yuri held a wire wrapped around her hand.

"I─I'm not like that," he said weakly. He couldn't stop his body from shaking. He couldn't focus long enough to collect nature energy. In the state he was in, he would just turn to stone. He took an unsteady step back, activating an explosion tag and setting it off. While he avoided blowing off his leg, it was bleeding heavily. He then noticed all the set traps around him as she had circled him earlier.

"Really? If you became Hokage, can you tell me you wouldn't order your ANBU to annihilate a village if they were a threat and there was no other way? Would you order torture to be illegal?" she sneered.

Naruto flinched. He knew he couldn't do that. He knew those were a few of the hard choices a Hokage had to make to protect the people underneath him. Of course he'd try like hell to avoid those choices, but if it became the only choice…

"See, you're just as bad as the men who ruined my life. No, you're worse. And that is why I want to make you suffer."

Yuri came in hard and fast, unleashing a flurry of assaults. They were average strength and speed, yet Naruto could barely defend himself. Every step was uncertain, every block hesitant. It occurred to him that he could use Kurama's power. It would heal his wounds some and give him a second wind, but it was like his mind didn't want to cooperate, like he couldn't remember how.

His thoughts were becoming increasingly panicked, and it was showing in his movements. It didn't seem to even register that he could fight back, too wrapped up in trying to deny what Yuri said and unable to. He began to wonder why he was still trying to fight back.

Yuri was smiling crazily as she watched the man before he begin to crumble. She forced Naruto into another explosive tag, this time injuring his back as blood began to grow underneath him. It was almost too easy. The guilt Naruto carried was abundant. She took pleasure in breaking him down slowly, shivered in delight at how his face contorted with pain and anguish. She wanted him to feel everything she had felt. Wanted him to feel it a hundred times more. She wanted Naruto to give up and take his own life if possible. The potential was there. She could see the doubt seeping in. Naruto was no hero. She wanted everyone to know that. She wanted everyone to see how him admit his crimes aloud and make them watch their beloved hero slit his own throat. She wanted to watch the people who worship this man to lose hope.

And she was almost there.

Naruto clumsily dodged another kunai, tripping over a wire he hadn't seen and falling onto his already scorched back. He gritted his teeth in pain, but made no move to get up. What was the point in fighting if living cause so many others pain?

"Finally giving up, Naruto?" Yuri asked, overly friendly. "I hope so. I can help you get rid of the pain if you do. Sasuke will be free from the obligation of being your lover. He'll have Itachi to comfort him. You know Itachi will be good to him. I promise to release my hold on Itachi if you just kill yourself. They could finally be happy, and Sasuke can rebuild his clan."

Naruto felt the tears sliding down his face. Sasuke deserved to rebuild his clan. He bet that Sasuke would be the type of dad who secretly dotes on his baby girl or showed pride for his son in every little thing the boy did. Naruto couldn't give him children. He couldn't take on the Uchiha last name. They couldn't even get officially married. He couldn't offer him anything. All he'd do is take Sasuke's choice by binding him to the idea that with Naruto, he wouldn't be alone, that the village won't turn on him if he kept Naruto happy.

Sasuke's happiness. That's all he wanted. Kyuubi was shouting something at him. He couldn't hear as his hand, grazed his kunai pouch. Sasuke would be better off. Sasuke could protect the village in his stead. He was strong. If Sasuke worked hard, he could be the seventh Hokage.

"That's right Naruto. Let Sasuke be happy," Yuri supplied just a foot away.

A chocked sob left him. The guilt was consuming like he was falling into a black hole. He couldn't escape it. He let everyone down. He let Sasuke down. He only brought pain. Even so, he could not end his own life.

Yuri must have realized this as well. The next thing he knew he felt small hands wrap around his throat. He didn't fight it.

* * *

Sasuke was running through the caves as fast as he could, searching for him. He heard the explosions echoing off the cave walls, making it difficult to locate the source, but still giving him a hint at least. Itachi was a step behind him. He was ordered to keep an eye on him. The vague order allowed Itachi to follow, but not able to interfere despite what she really implied giving the command in the first place.

The strain was starting to show as his chest became tighter and tighter and his breaths more shallow. He had promised not to fight, but Naruto was taking too long. Yuri wasn't a strong opponent. She used deceit and mind games to win her battles. In a full on confrontation, Naruto couldn't be bested in and yet…

He blood ran cold as he saw his dobe, severely injured with Yuri straddling him with her hands around his neck while Naruto just let her.

He saw red.

He didn't have a weapons pouch, so he picked up a rock. He felt Itachi take cover as to stay out of Yuri's sight so she didn't give him another order, but Sasuke didn't care what his brother did at that moment. He was going to kill himself a bitch.

With a burst of chakra and power, he got behind her and swung the rock down hard and fast. She sensed him at the last minute and the blow grazed the side of her head instead of taking the full impact. More importantly, she was forced to get off of Naruto.

The quick movement left him breathless, making him unable to follow up the attack right away. He glanced at his lover who made no moves to get up. His eyes were glazed over as he looked at him. At the sight of Sasuke, they filled with more tears.

"I'm sorry."The blonde's voice was rough and gritty and worse of all broken. "I'm so sorry."

Yuri was getting back up. Judging by the look of her, Naruto hadn't even landed a scratch. "Sasuke-kun, I thought we had an understanding earlier," her voice a fake sugary sweetness that made Sasuke's skin crawl.

"If anyone gets to kill the idiot, it will be me, but not while he's drugged and not with your stupid mind games." His voice lowered into a growl. "He's mine to do what I want with, and if I want to kill him or fuck him, it isn't your business to know or interfere with."

The woman scowled at him. "I knew you were more trouble than you were worth."

Sasuke smirked at that. "That's what people keep telling me."

He kneeled to take Naruto's sword and weapon pouch, keeping his eyes on Yuri the entire time. He couldn't afford to screw this up. He was nearing his limit with his injury.

Yuri watched him. Blood trickled down the side of her face, but her eyes were just as sharp as before. "You can't win. Surely you know that."

Sasuke straightened himself, unsheathing the sword.

"Why Sasuke? He betrayed you, hurt you. Why do you defend him?"

Sasuke snorted. "If you don't understand it, I'm not going to try to educate you." He channeled chakra threw his sword. He still lacked control and coordination, so this was going to be his only shot. The chakra crackled and sparked, taking on the properties of lightning. His sharingan was activated, and it was sucking up his strength fast.

"I'll put you out of your misery soon enough." Yuri came in close, her step quick, but not fast enough to cause Sasuke problems normally. He brought his sword up to block her kunai easily deflecting it. He estimated he could keep this up for a minute at most though. 30 seconds if he forced his body to move faster.

His sharingan caught the wire she tried to set behind him which he promptly cut, activating the bomb prematurely. The pressure from the explosion set him more off balanced than he liked, but Yuri seemed to be surprised he saw it and hadn't expected it either. She stumbled, and Sasuke took the chance to counterattack. She brought her kunai up to defend herself. Sasuke's chidori infused sword cut through the metal like butter.

She scowled as Sasuke followed up the attack, cutting the front of her shirt and leaving a thin cut on her stomach. She fell, landing hard on her back. Sasuke approached cautiously. Something wasn't right.

Even with his sharingan he didn't notice the sweet floral scent until it was too late. He felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, and he immediately backed away, desperately trying to keep his chakra flowing through his body to keep him awake and aware.

He tripped over his own feet as his world went in and out as he struggled to stay conscious.

The woman laughed, standing up and brushing herself off. "You know I set that trap for your little boy toy while I was fighting him. I didn't think I would use it against you unintentionally. I guess luck is on my side."

He tried to sit up. Yuri kicked him back down, pressing on his wound. Sasuke gasped. He couldn't breathe.

"It was nice playing with you, Sasuke, but this is where it ends." She picked up the sword, putting all her weight on his wound as she did so.

Sasuke's vision blackened with pain. He felt around for the weapons pouch, but he was unable to reach it.

"Goodbye, Sasuke."

The Uchiha watched the sword rise over her head, the image blurred as he tried to think of a way out. His options were limited to none. This wasn't how he imagined his life ending. "Naruto," he wheezed out.

Yuri opened her mouth to say something about his last words. Nothing came out. She coughed, and the sword fell from her shaking fingers. She looked down at the orange, chakra formed, fox tail piecing her chest.

Her hands came to the wound, looking at it with interest as blood stained her hands. She smiled, stumbling back, away from Sasuke. "I feel cold," she said laughing weakly. "I didn't think I'd feel anything." Her eyes looked at Naruto as Kyuubi's chakra faded. "At least…you've shown…your…true…c-colors…" Her eyes slipped shut. Her body fell forward as she said, "murderer."

Sasuke breathed heavily, trying to use the pain to focus on and clear his mind. He felt warm hands help him sit up. At first he thought it was Naruto, but the scent definitely belonged to Itachi. His eyes sought his lover in the dim lighting.

Naruto was standing, staring at the woman's dead body. Sasuke couldn't see his face, but the body was full of tension. Slowly, he turned to face him. He looked helpless and lost, unsure what he should do. He took a step towards him then hesitated as if he shouldn't.

"Come here, dobe. Don't make me go over there." He grunted.

Naruto still looked subdued as he came to him, kneeling at his side. Itachi took that as his cue to leave, making sure Sasuke wouldn't fall over before he left the two alone.

Naruto kept his eyes down, his body trembling. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I never meant to hurt or use you."

"Naruto," Sasuke said just as softly, but it didn't stop the captain from continuing.

"I love you so damn much, you know? I only wanted you to be happy. Instead I . . ."

"Naruto," the raven tried again.

"I don't deserve you. You could do better than me, someone who'll protect you. Who won't manipulate you."

Growling, Sasuke grabbed his vest and pulled the rambling man forward and trapped him in an embrace where Naruto's head rested on his shoulder. "I don't want anyone else, idiot. I want you. I always had, just never knew it. And if you leave me, I'll track you down, beat the shit out of you then bring you home." Naruto turned his watery blue eyes up to meet Sasuke's. "So don't you ever fucking leave me."

Naruto's grip tightened on his vest which caused Sasuke to stifle a groan. Quietly, Naruto sobbed against his chest, holding onto him for dear life, and Sasuke returned the embrace.

At some point, Hinata and Shino came running in. One death glare from Sasuke had them retreating before Naruto could notice.

The raven's hands played with Naruto's blonde strands as the last of the tremors started to fade from his lover's body enjoying the feel of then in between his fingers. How he never realized Naruto was perfect for him before was a mystery to him; however, he didn't plan on letting him go now that he knew.

Naruto sat up, eyes red and puffy, and cheeks stained with tears which he wiped weakly at. Noticing Sasuke's damp vest, he murmured another apology.

Sasuke decided not to tease him about it. There was a lot he and Naruto had to talk about, his fears and Naruto's. Relationships weren't easy. There was rarely a black and white answer to most problems. Naruto had yet to realize that he is human and bound to make bad mistakes, and he had to forgive himself for things he had done and things that were out of his control. And Sasuke was still struggling with lingering alienation from the village and making up for his past deeds. Naruto was helping him with that. It was about time he returned the favor.

Naruto stood up, carefully bringing Sasuke with him, wrapping his arm around his waist. Slowly, they made their way out of the cave side by side.


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end. Thanks for all the comments and kudos!

Sasuke leaned back in his chair, staring at the three files on his desk. He never really thought he'd be doing this. He had hated it, yet here he was doing it willing. He sighed heavily. He supposed it was the price he was willing to make in order to stay near the village and take less dangerous missions.

It would be different though. These were going to be his kids. He wasn't just the substitute anymore. He was going to have these three depend on him until they could defend themselves and take on difficult missions by themselves.

His eyes glanced at the two silver bells sitting on his desk. Assuming they passed the test of course. Kakashi had failed three sets of graduates until he found them. He wondered how many times it would take him.

He checked the clock and cursed under his breath as he put the files away. He was going to be late. Naruto was going to have a field day. Maybe he wouldn't notice…

Leaving the manor, he made a quick detour at the academy to take a look at the new graduates for himself, taking a few mental notes. One girl and two boys as the usual. One boy seemed loud and obnoxious while the other boy was quiet and ignoring the both of them. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. A lot of the more successful teams were like that. Team seven, eight, and ten from his generation were proof of that.

He watched the girl play the role of mediator between them. They seemed promising. It didn't seem that there would be a younger version of Sakura at least. If there had been, he wasn't sure if he could keep himself from sympathizing with the stoic boy. Fangirls still annoyed him, much to Naruto's amusement.

Knowing for certain he was going to be late now, he took his time to head to his destination. His hope was that if he appeared casual enough when he appeared, the mistake would come off as intentional.

He should have known Naruto wouldn't have fallen for it.

When Sasuke strolled into the Hokage's office, Naruto looked up from the large pile of paperwork with a glint of amusement sparkling in his eyes. A smile followed after, one he showed only to Sasuke whenever he walked into the room. "You're late, bastard."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, "I figured you'd be busy." He eyed the paperwork. "I was right."

Naruto only grinned wider. "Liar. You're turning into Kakashi already, and you haven't even gotten your team yet."

"Like you aren't always late, dobe," Sasuke countered.

"By a few minutes. Not half an hour."

Sasuke decided to make no comment and instead decided to stand in front of the desk looking at what Naruto was working on. "Are you excited?"

The man in front of him smiled nervously. "A bit. I mean, I'm not excited about doing this all day," he gestured to the paperwork, "but . . . I finally got here."

Sasuke looked up, his features softening. "Itachi apologizes that he can't make the ceremony."

"It's alright," Naruto said reassuringly, easing at the news of the elder Uchiha. "How is he doing anyway?"

"He says he's doing well, that Gaara has been very kind, and the missions haven't been higher than an A rank." Sasuke had rolled his eyes at the mention of the Kazekage, still obviously disliking him despite the fact he was giving Itachi sanctuary in Suna.

Naruto only looked vaguely amused. "As long as he's here for New Years, I don't mind him missing the ceremony. I just can't wait to fire those old bats already." His smile turned feral. "They know it's coming too."

Sasuke chuckled. "Careful dobe, you'll scare your new bodyguards if you let your true intentions show."

"Oh yeah," his nose scrunched, "them. I can protect myself you know."

"It's just something you'll have to get used to."

Naruto still didn't look to happy about it but couldn't argue. It was an argument he had with Shikamaru almost every day since the announcement of his promotion. Only Temari's wrath made him stop. Now that she was with child, she was scarier than ever. Sasuke had a vague feeling Shikamaru couldn't wait to take his position as advisor, if just to save him from his wife's mood swings.

"Don't think too hard, usuratonkachi. You're still an idiot."

"Back at you bastard, but I got a lot I got to finish before tomorrow," his looked at his desk wearily.

The Uchiha sat on the edge of his desk. "Like you could actually focus on anything that doesn't involve ramen," he smirked.

Naruto stood up from his desk and placed his hands on the hard surface, leaning forward. "There is one other thing I can focus on." He pulled Sasuke forward into a heated kiss, mashing their lips together. Sasuke welcomed the kiss leaning over the desk further and pulling his lover closer, forcing Naruto to climb onto the surface while Sasuke stood, so he could turn around fully.

The papers that had previously occupied the space were pushed to the floor in the blonde's desperate attempts to decrease the space between their bodies. He was on his knees tilting the raven's head back to deepen the kiss as one arm tightened around his waist and the other buried its way into the dark, silky locks.

Sasuke allowed him, biting Naruto's bottom lip, asking for entrance, craving the taste that was Naruto. The blonde granted him entrance and he slipped his tongue inside, expecting the fight for dominance that would ensue over the kiss.

Just like everything when it came to them, even the love making was aggressive and forceful. Something Sasuke never had with his previous lovers. They always fought. Fought who would dominate the kiss, who would top, who would make the other come first. It was always aggressive, but always filled with love.

Naruto unzipped Sasuke green vest while he continued the onslaught on Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke helped shrug out of the vest, and surprised Naruto by pushing him back and pulling his legs forward while the Uchiha climbed on top of him. "I'm topping this time, dobe." He muttered, barely breaking the kiss.

Naruto laughed, to busy trying to take off his own shirt to care. Sasuke ran his fingers over Naruto's defined muscles, already knowing them, but unable to stop touching them. Naruto made a soft needy noise, shivering under his touch. "I love you," he said, looking up under half lidded, lust filled eyes.

Sasuke smiled and replied with an, "Hn."

Naruto chuckled, flipping them over without falling onto the floor. He lowered his face so his lips brushed over his lover's. "Bastard," he whispered, before sealing the kiss once again.

* * *

After their bout of love making, they hadn't gotten to bask in the afterglow long. There was a knock on the door that had Naruto jumping out of his skin and hurrying to make himself presentable while Sasuke, was forced to dress and pick up the papers.

Thankfully, Sakura didn't bother mentioning that Naruto had a clearly visible hickey on his neck, that Sasuke's zipper was caught, or that Sasuke also had a slight limp, though Naruto looked really smug when Sakura tried to hold back her amusement at that.

She had come to deliver his new Hokage outfit. Naruto, like his father before him, didn't want to wear the traditional clothes. Instead over his orange jacket, he opted for a white cape with red flames licking the bottom. It was reminiscent of the design of the Yondaime's coat. Sasuke had tried to talk him into wearing something similar. He had liked the red coat with the black flames that Naruto wore on occasion. Thankfully, he did talk Naruto out of cutting his hair ridiculously short. That had been a close call.

Naruto put on the official Hokage hat and looked at Sasuke. "How do I look?" he asked.

Sasuke watched his dobe look uncertainly between him and the mirror. How had the loud mouth, clumsy, useless idiot that he had once despised grow up into a loving, kind, powerful, loyal man about to be Hokage, who was going to have Sasuke's pledge to follow him after the ceremony tomorrow along with every other shinobi of the hidden leaf. "Like a Hokage," he said softly.

Naruto blushed with a shy smile, tilting the hat forward to hide his eyes.

Sakura rolled her eyes at the lovey dovey atmosphere and quickly left before any more activities ensued. She had walked in on them one too many times. It was amusing at first, but now it was starting to become annoying. They couldn't keep their hands off each other.

Naruto put his uniform away, and they both left for the cemetery (Naruto decided paperwork could wait until tomorrow), paying their respects to Sasuke's parents, the real Itachi, Naruto's parents, and the single unmarked grave. While Sasuke had place flowers at Itachi's grave, Naruto had placed the ones he brought at the unmarked grave.

Sasuke watched as Naruto got to his knees and gave the grave a prayer. Sasuke never prayed at the grave, but he agreed to create it a week after the incident. It was a reminder. They would never forget. Someone had to remember the unnamed village that had been destroyed, about the woman who had lost everything and everyone and lost herself to the darkness in her heart. It reminded them that everyone had darkness lurking inside them, and how important it was to have someone to keep you from being consumed by the hate, anger, and loneliness that fueled it.

Naruto came by once a week to show his respect. Though the guilt had lessened over the past two years and he had forgiven himself, he vowed to never make the same mistake. Forgetting ones sins was worse than the act itself. Konoha had forgotten, and they had almost paid for it.

"Sasuke . . . I think I'm going to tell everyone the truth. About Yuri's village and about the Uchiha massacre." Naruto peered up at him from the ground, uncertainty in his eyes. "The Uchiha were out casted because of fear and hate which caused them to hate in return. Yuri wanted revenge because we wouldn't acknowledge our sins. Everyone's forgotten, but I don't think they should. I wouldn't make your family look bad. I won't tell everything, but if we are all to live in peace and understand one another, we have to know what others have gone through and faced."

The wind picked up around them, and the raven allowed his eyes to close, savoring its gentle caress.

Knowing Naruto was still awaiting an answer, he slowly said, "Then do it. I trust you."

Naruto gave a quick nod and stood, giving one last prayer.

They walked hand in hand back to the village center in a comfortable silence. While Sasuke didn't really like holding hands, it was his silent comfort he could give during these trips.

It was unexpected to see a small golden blur rush by them and push itself between Naruto and Sasuke and take to hiding behind Naruto's legs. Naruto blinked in surprise, and looked down at a small blonde child, no older than three, too thin and too dirty, glaring with bright blue eyes at the approaching woman.

"Hey, Emiko," Naruto said, slowly, turning his attention to the woman slightly out of breath. She smiled apologetically at Naruto.

"Hokage-sama, I apologize. This is the third time he's run away in under a week."

"Really?" Naruto glanced at the child with curiosity. Sasuke was eyeing him as well. "He's from the village that got wiped out by the flood last week right?"

She nodded. "He's one of the fifty survivors."

She moved to pick up the child who looked ready to dash again when Naruto interrupted her. "How's your twin doing?"

Emiko looked surprise at the sudden question but stopped her advances. "Ayumi is doing well. She wants to see you of course. She's considering maybe going back to shinobi work."

Naruto nodded approvingly. "I'll stop on my way back from work tomorrow. What about you? Going to see Itachi again?"

The woman flushed. While she and Itachi didn't have a romantic relationship, they both found comfort in each other, being made to look and be someone else but having no idea who they really were had been difficult for both to accept. Ayumi, now known as Emiko to take on her own identity, visited him often. In between visits, she worked with children, helping them cope from loss or disasters.

"Not for another few weeks," she finally answered.

Naruto picked up the child, still studying him. He kind of looked like him, but with Sasuke's hairstyle with it spiked a bit in the back. The child studied him back.

Naruto looked at Sasuke with big blue eyes.

"No," the raven said flatly just as Naruto asked, "Can we keep him?"

"He's not a dog, idiot. You're going to be busy and so will I."

Naruto pouted. "But we're both staying in the village, and we'll both be coming home at night and within minutes of reaching him."

"I said no," Sasuke said firmly.

"But he's an orphan," he whined, without any dignity. The comment however did make Sasuke pause. Naruto pounced on it. "We had no one when our families died," he said gently. "We can be his family."

Sasuke hesitated a bit more. He already knew he lost. He sighed in defeat. "Fine, but he takes the Uchiha surname."

Naruto scowled. "Uzumaki."

"I'm the last Uchiha," Sasuke frowned.

"I'm the last Uzumaki," Naruto replied smugly.

Sasuke just smirked. "Not true. Karin is technically an Uzumaki.

Naruto cursed under his breath. "Fine, you win." He shifted the child in his arms. "Does he have a name?" he asked Emiko.

She shook her head. "Not that he's told us. None of the survivors know either."

"Well then," he grinned at the kid. "I guess we get to name you. Welcome to the family, Bolt."

Sasuke glared. "We are not naming our child that."

The blonde took a moment to revel in the fact Sasuke had already called Bolt their child. His chest warmed before the irritation kicked in. "Why not?"

"I thought I told you he's not a dog. It's a stupid name."

"It's a cool name. Plus you know my dad was the yellow flash and your specialty is the chidori," Naruto flushed a bit, "so you know. . ."

Damn it was hard to argue with that even if it was stupid. "We are talking about this later, usuratonkachi."

He must have already known that he won because Naruto smiled like an idiot. "Hear that, Bolt? Your tou-chan and tou-san are bringing you home."

The small child looked between them and said one word. "Hn."

"Oh look, teme! He's already picked up your vocabulary," Naruto laughed, holding the child closer.

Sasuke watched Naruto coddle the boy with content. Itachi was going to laugh his ass off (figuratively) whenever he finds out how this all happened.

He wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist and whispered into his ear while the man was distracted, "I love you too, dobe."

Naruto turned his head, wide eyed at the proclamation. Then a warm smile crossed his lips as he closed the distance between them for a short kiss. "About damn time," he whispered back. The both walked off with their new son towards the Uchiha manor. Neither noticed that Emiko was trying to get their attention about signing adoption papers first, too wrapped up in each other to care.


End file.
